UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant  ☒                             Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ☐

Check the appropriate box:

CUTERA, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

NOTICE OF 2020 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON

June 15, 2020

at 9:00 A.M. Pacific Time

To our Stockholders:

You are cordially invited to attend the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Cutera, Inc. (the “Company”). The meeting will be held on June 15, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time, virtually by visiting https://cutera.zoom.us/j/98478479022 , or dialing US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 and using Webinar ID: 984 7847 9022, where you will be able to listen to the meeting live, submit questions and vote online. The meeting is being held for the following purposes:

The foregoing items of business are more fully described in the proxy statement accompanying this Notice of Annual Meeting.

To help conserve resources and reduce printing and distribution costs, we will be mailing a notice to our stockholders, instead of a paper copy of this proxy statement, our 2019 Annual Report and a form of proxy card or voting instruction card (collectively referred to as “Proxy Material”). The notice will have instructions on how to access our Proxy Material over the internet and instructions on how stockholders can receive a paper copy of our Proxy Materials if so desired. Your vote is important, regardless of the number of shares that you own. Whether or not you intend to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, please vote as soon as possible to make sure that your shares are represented. The meeting will begin promptly at 9:00 a.m., local time. Only holders of record of shares of our common stock (NASDAQ: CUTR) at the close of business on April 16, 2020 will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the meeting and any postponements or adjournments of the meeting. As part of our precautions regarding the coronavirus or COVID-19, we have decided to hold the annual meeting only as a virtual meeting.

For a period of at least 10 days prior to the meeting, a complete list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting will be available and open to the examination of any stockholder for any purpose relating to the Annual Meeting on the Investor Overview tab of our website at www.cutera.com.

By order of the Board of Directors,

Chief Executive Officer & Director

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT!

You are cordially invited to attend the ANNUAL meeting OF STOCKHOLDERS virtually by visiting https://cutera.zoom.us/j/98478479022 , or dialing US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 and using Webinar ID: 984 7847 9022. Whether or not you expect to attend the meeting, please complete, date, sign and return the enclosed proxy, or vote over the telephone or the internet as instructed in these materials, as promptly as possible in order to ensure your representation at the meeting. A return envelope (which is postage prepaid if mailed in the United States) has been provided for your convenience. Even if you have voted by proxy, you may still vote at the meeting if you attend the meeting virtually. Please note, however, that if your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee and you wish to vote at the meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued in your name from that record holder.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROXY STATEMENT

FOR

2020 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON JUNE 15, 2020

The Board of Directors (“Board”) of Cutera, Inc., a Delaware corporation, is soliciting your proxy to vote at our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on June 15, 2020, beginning at 9:00 a.m., Pacific Time, which is the local time, virtually by visiting https://cutera.zoom.us/j/98478479022 , or dialing US: +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 and using Webinar ID: 984 7847 9022, and at any postponements or adjournments thereof. This proxy statement contains important information regarding the meeting. Specifically, it identifies the matters upon which you are being asked to vote, provides information that you may find useful in determining how to vote and describes the voting procedures.

In this proxy statement the terms “ we ”, “ our ”, “ Cutera ” and the “ Company ” each refer to Cutera, Inc.; the term “ Board ” means our Board of Directors; the term “ proxy materials ” means this proxy statement, the enclosed proxy card, and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 16, 2020, and amended on Form 10K/A on April 14, 2020, and the term “ Annual Meeting ” means our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

We are sending the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials on or prior to May 4, 2020, to all stockholders of record at the close of business on April 16, 2020 (the “Record Date”).

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING THIS SOLICITATION AND VOTING AT THE ANNUAL MEETING

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STOCK OWNERSHIP

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Current Management

The following table provides information relating to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of April 1, 2020, by:

The number of shares beneficially owned by each entity, person, director or executive officer is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC, and the information is not necessarily indicative of beneficial ownership for any other purpose. Under such rules, beneficial ownership includes any shares over which the individual has the sole or shared voting power or investment power and any shares that the individual has the right to acquire within 60 days of April 1, 2020, through the exercise of any stock option or other right. The number and percentage of shares beneficially owned is computed on the basis of 14,578,146 shares of our common stock outstanding as of April 1, 2020 plus, for each beneficial owner, the amount of shares issuable to such beneficial owner upon the exercise of warrants and options that are exercisable within 60 days. The information in the following table regarding the beneficial owners of more than 5% of our common stock is based upon information supplied by principal stockholders or Schedules 13D and 13G filed with the SEC.

Shares of our common stock that a person has the right to acquire within 60 days of the Record Date are deemed outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of the person holding such rights, but are not deemed outstanding for purposes of computing the percentage ownership of any other person, except with respect to the percentage ownership of all directors and executive officers as a group. To our knowledge, except as set forth in the footnotes to this table and subject to applicable community property laws, each person or entity named in the table has sole voting and disposition power with respect to the shares set forth opposite such person’s or entity’s name. The address for those persons for which an address is not otherwise provided is c/o Cutera, Inc., 3240 Bayshore Blvd., Brisbane, California 94005-1021.

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Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, certain officers, and beneficial owners of more than 10% of our common stock to file reports of ownership and reports of changes in the ownership with the SEC. Such persons are required by SEC regulations to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) Statement of Changes of Beneficial Ownership of Securities forms they file (SEC Forms 3, 4, and 5).

Based solely on our review of the copies of such forms received by us, or written representations from reporting persons that no SEC Forms 3, 4 or 5 were required of such persons, we believe that during our fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 all reports were timely filed.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BOARD MATTERS

Director Independence

Our common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (“NASDAQ”). Under the NASDAQ listing standards, independent directors must comprise a majority of a listed company’s board of directors. In addition, the NASDAQ listing standards require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s audit, compensation, and nominating and corporate governance committees be independent. Under the NASDAQ listing standards, a director will only qualify as an “independent director” if, in the opinion of that listed company’s board of directors, that director does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director.

Audit committee members must also satisfy the additional independence criteria set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and the NASDAQ listing standards. Compensation committee members must also satisfy the additional independence criteria set forth in Rule 10C-1 under the Exchange Act and the NASDAQ listing standards

Our Board has undertaken a review of the independence of each of our directors. Based on information provided by each director concerning his or her background, employment and affiliations, our Board has determined that each of the directors, other than David H. Mowry, our Chief Executive Officer, satisfy the current “independent director” standards established by NASDAQ. In 2019, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee recommended to the Board that all directors other than our Chief Executive Officer be independent as defined by NASDAQ listing rules.

Board Leadership Structure

The roles of Chairperson of the Board and Chief Executive Officer are filled by separate individuals. Our Board believes that the separation of the offices of the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer is appropriate at this time because it allows our Chief Executive Officer to focus primarily on our business strategy, operations and corporate vision. However, our Board does not have a policy mandating the separation of the roles of Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, though one can be established by the Board. Our Board elects our Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, and each of these positions may be held by the same person or by different people. We believe that it is important that the Board retain flexibility to determine whether these roles should be separate or combined based upon the Board’s assessment of our needs and our leadership at a given point in time.

We believe that independent and effective oversight of our business and affairs is maintained through the composition of our Board, the leadership of our independent directors and the committees and our governance structures and processes already in place. The Board currently consists entirely of independent directors, other than David H. Mowry, our Chief Executive Officer, and the committees of our Board are composed solely of independent directors.

Our Chairperson of the Board is J. Daniel Plants. We believe Mr. Plants’ qualifications to serve as our Chairperson include his substantial experience as a strategic advisor and corporate attorney, as well as his role as the founder of a successful investment management firm and status as a significant Company stockholder, which bring valuable skills and perspective to the Board in the areas of finance, capital markets, strategy and corporate governance.

As described in more detail below, the Board currently has four standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and an Enterprise Risk Committee. As deemed advisable by the Board, various ad hoc committees may be established from time to time to accomplish a specific goal or purpose and cease to exist when that goal or purpose is realized. The chairperson and each member of all committees is an independent director. The Board delegates substantial duties and

responsibilities to each committee. The committees make recommendations to the Board and report regularly to the Board on their activities and any actions they have taken. We believe that our independent Board committees and their chairperson are an important aspect of our Board leadership and governance structure.

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Risk Oversight and Analysis

Risk is inherent with every business, and we face a number of risks, including strategic, financial, business and operational, political, regulatory, legal and compliance, and reputational. We have designed and implemented processes to manage risk in our operations. Our management is responsible for managing the risks we face in the ordinary course of operating our business. The Board oversees potential risks and our risk management activities by receiving operational and strategic presentations from management which include discussions of key risks to our business.

Our Board believes that open communication between management and our Board is essential for effective risk management and oversight. Our Board meets with our Chief Executive Officer and other members of the senior management team at meetings of our Board, where, among other topics, they discuss strategy and risks facing the Company, as well as at such other times as they deem appropriate.

While our Board has the ultimate responsibility for risk management and oversight, various committees of the Board also support the Board in its fulfillment of this responsibility. For example, our Audit Committee assists the Board in its risk oversight function by reviewing and discussing with management our system of disclosure controls and our internal controls over financial reporting risks associated with our cash investment policies, risks related to regulatory matters, and evaluating and advising on other matters. Our business is run conservatively and excessive risk-taking has been discouraged. As a result, risk analysis has not been a significant factor for our Compensation Committee in establishing compensation. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to the management of risks associated with Board organization, governance, membership and structure. The Enterprise Risk Committee, created in 2018, assists the Board in supervising the enterprise risk management activities of the Company and its subsidiaries, and advises the Board with respect to the enterprise risk management framework of the Company. The Enterprise Risk Committee further assists the Board in its oversight of the Company’s management of key risks, including strategic and operational risks, as well as the guidelines, policies and processes for monitoring and mitigating such risks.

Committees of the Board

Our Board has four standing committees: the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and the Enterprise Risk Committee. The membership during the last fiscal year, and the function of each of the committees, are described below. Starting with the 2019 Annual Meeting, the Board decreased the number of directors constituting the Board from eight to six directors. On July 8, 2019, the number of directors constituting the Board increased from six to seven as David H. Mowry, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, was appointed to the Board.

X = Committee member

* = Chairperson of Committee

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Audit Committee . The Audit Committee oversees the Company’s accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of its financial statements. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board and a copy of the charter can be found on the Investor page, under the Corporate Governance section of our website at www.cutera.com . In this role, the Audit Committee monitors and oversees the integrity of the Company’s financial statements and related disclosures, the qualifications, independence, and performance of the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, and the Company’s compliance with applicable legal requirements and its business conduct policies. Our Board has determined that each member of the Audit Committee meets the independence and financial literacy requirements of the NASDAQ rules and the independence requirements of the SEC. Joseph E. Whitters serves as a member of the Board and Chairperson of the Audit Committee. Our Board has determined that Mr. Whitters qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in the SEC rules. The report of the Audit Committee appears on page 20 of this proxy statement.

Compensation Committee . The Compensation Committee, together with our Board, establishes compensation for our Chief Executive Officer and the other executive officers and administers the Company’s 2019 Equity Incentive Plan and the 2004 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Each member of the Compensation Committee meets the requirements for independence for compensation committee members under the NASDAQ listing standards and SEC rules and regulations, including Rule 10C-1 under the Exchange Act. Each member of our Compensation Committee is also a non-employee director, as defined pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. The Compensation Committee has a written charter, which was adopted by our Board, and can be found on the Investor page, under the Corporate Governance section of our website at www.cutera.com . The report of the Compensation Committee appears on page 62 of this proxy statement.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee . The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board on matters concerning corporate governance, Board composition, identification, evaluation and nomination of director candidates, Board committees, Board compensation, and conflicts of interest. Each member of our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee meets the requirements for independence under the NASDAQ listing standards and SEC rules and regulations. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has a written charter, which was adopted by our Board and can be found on the Investor page, under the Corporate Governance section of our website at www.cutera.com .

Enterprise Risk Committee. The Enterprise Risk Committee was created in 2018 to assist the Board and the Audit Committee, where applicable, in supervising the enterprise risk management activities of the Company and its subsidiaries and advise the Board with respect to the enterprise risk management framework of the Company. The Committee’s function is primarily one of oversight, and its members do not provide any expert advice as to the Company’s risk management. Each member of our Enterprise Risk Committee meets the requirements for independence under the NASDAQ listing standards and SEC rules and regulations. The Enterprise Risk Committee has a written charter in draft form which, when adopted by our Board, will be posted on the Investor page, under the Corporate Governance section of our website at www.cutera.com.

Meetings Attended by Directors

Each of the directors attended at least 90% of the meetings of the Board or committee(s) on which he or she served during 2019.

The directors of the Company are encouraged to attend the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders. In 2019, all of our directors at the time attended the meeting either physically or telephonically. All directors joined the meeting telephonically, except for our Chairperson, Mr. Plants who attended in person.

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Director Nomination Process

Director Qualifications . The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers the appropriate balance of experience, skills and characteristics required of members of the Board. While the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has not formalized specific minimum qualifications they believe must be met by a candidate to be recommended by the independent members, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee believes that candidates and nominees must reflect a Board that is comprised of directors who (i) have broad and relevant experience, (ii) are predominantly independent, (iii) are of high integrity, (iv) have qualifications that will increase overall Board effectiveness and enhance long-term stockholder value, and (v) meet other requirements as may be required by applicable rules, such as financial literacy or financial expertise with respect to Audit Committee members. While the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee does not maintain a specific policy with respect to Board diversity, the candidates for Board membership should have the highest professional and personal ethics and values, and conduct themselves consistent with our Code of Ethics. However, California law requires that publicly held corporations headquartered in the state include at least one female director on their boards of directors. By the end of 2021, subject corporations with five board members must have at least two female directors, while those with six or more directors must have at least three female directors. The Company is in compliance with such law, and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will continue to monitor the Company’s compliance. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Board are committed to diversity and consider diversity among other qualifications, experience, attributes or skills in its process of identifying and evaluating candidates to be nominees to the Board. As they do annually, in 2019 the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee evaluated its procedures for recommending candidates to the Board. The procedure was reviewed by the entire Board and implemented in 2019 with the selection of Ms. Zanotti and Mr. Whitters, among others, to join the Board.

Stockholder Nominations and Recommendations . As described above in the Question and Answer section of this proxy statement under “What is the deadline to propose actions for consideration at next year’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders or to nominate individuals to serve as directors?,” our bylaws set forth the procedure for the proper submission of stockholder nominations for membership on our Board. In addition, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may consider properly submitted stockholder recommendations (as opposed to formal nominations) for candidates for membership on the Board. A stockholder may make such a recommendation by submitting the following information to our Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary at 3240 Bayshore Blvd., Brisbane, California 94005-1021 no later than January 4, 2021:

Identifying and Evaluating Director Nominees . Typically new candidates for nomination to the Board are suggested by existing directors or by our executive officers, although candidates may initially come to our attention through professional search firms, stockholders, or other persons. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee carefully reviews the qualifications of any candidates who have been properly brought to its attention. Such a review may, in the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s discretion, include a review solely of information provided to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or may also include discussion with persons familiar with the candidate, an interview with the candidate, or other actions that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee deems proper. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers the suitability of each candidate, including the current members of the Board, in light of the current size and composition of the Board. In evaluating the qualifications of the candidates, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considers many factors, including, issues of character, judgment, diversity, independence, expertise, length of service, and other commitments. In addition, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee takes into account professional experience, skills and

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background in considering and evaluating candidates. Although diversity is one factor considered in the nomination process, the Company does not have a formal policy relating to diversity except as required by applicable law. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee evaluates such factors, among others, and does not assign any particular weighting or priority to any of these factors. Candidates properly recommended by stockholders are evaluated by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee using the same criteria as other candidates. Candidates are not discriminated against on the basis of race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or any other basis proscribed by law.

Director Nominees at our 2020 Annual Meeting . Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee recommended the 2020 director nominees for nomination to our Board.

Director Compensation

We use a combination of cash and equity compensation to attract and retain qualified candidates to serve on our Board.

The following table sets forth a summary of the cash compensation paid, and the grant date fair value of shares of Cutera common stock which vest over a one-year period, awarded to our non-employee directors in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019.

2019 Director Compensation Table

Compensation of the Board of Directors for Their Position on the Board and its Committees

Effective October 31, 2017, on the recommendation of the Compensation Committee after consultation with the Compensation Committee’s external compensation consultant, Compensia, the Board approved certain revisions to Board compensation. Thereafter, each non-employee director appointed to the Board earned the following compensation:

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Equity Awards for Members of the Board of Directors

Our Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan provides for the automatic grant of options to purchase shares of Cutera common stock to our non-employee directors. Until October 31, 2017, each non-employee director appointed to the Board received an initial option to purchase 14,000 shares of Cutera common stock upon his or her appointment. Each of these stock options had an exercise price equal to fair market value of Cutera common stock on the date of grant and a term of seven years, and becomes exercisable as to one-third of the shares subject to the option on each of the first three anniversaries of its date of grant, provided the non-employee director remains a director. In addition, until October 31, 2017, each non-employee director, who was a director on the date of each Annual Meeting of Stockholders and had been a director for at least the preceding six months, received an award of shares represented by the quotient of $60,000 divided by the closing market price of Cutera common stock on the date of such Annual Meeting of Stockholders. These shares vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date. Effective October 31, 2017, the Board revised various elements of non-employee director compensation to provide for an annual grant to non-employee directors of shares of restricted stock pursuant to the Company’s Amended and Restated 2004 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, with a grant date fair market value of $100,000, and which vest on the next Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The Board also approved a revision to outside directors’ initial award in the form of a one-time award of shares of restricted stock with a grant date fair value of $150,000, one-third of such shares to vest on each of the first three anniversaries of the date the Board appoints, or the stockholders elect, the new outside director. The award replaces the initial option to purchase 14,000 shares of Cutera common stock upon his or her appointment.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

The Board has adopted a Corporate Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code”) for all executive officers and other employees, agents and representatives. The Code is designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote honest, ethical, and socially and environmentally responsible conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest between personal and professional relationships; full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that we file with, or submit to, the SEC and in other public communications made by us; compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations; the prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code to an appropriate person or persons identified in the Code; and accountability for adherence to the Code. In 2019, the Board revised the Code to address certain environmental, social and governance matters that more closely reflect the importance the Board places on such matters. A copy of the revised Code is available on our website at www.cutera.com. Any change to, or waiver from, the code will be disclosed as required by applicable securities laws.

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Hedging Policy

According to our Insider Trading Compliance Program, no employee of the Company, including, but not limited to, our executive officers and directors, may invest in derivatives of the Company’s securities. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, trading in put or call options related to securities of the Company or otherwise hedging or offsetting any decrease in the market value of securities.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

Currently, our Compensation Committee consists of David B. Apfelberg, M.D., Gregory A. Barrett, and Katherine S. Zanotti. No current or expected member of the Compensation Committee, nor any of our Named Executive Officers, has a relationship that would constitute an interlocking relationship with executive officers or directors of another entity.

No current or expected member of our Compensation Committee is or has been an officer or employee of the Company. None of our executive officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the Board or Compensation Committee (or other Board committee performing equivalent functions) of any entity that has one or more of its executive officers serving on our Board or Compensation Committee.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.

Communications with the Board by Stockholders

Stockholders wishing to communicate with the Board or with an individual Board member concerning the Company may do so by writing to the Board, or to the particular Board member, and mailing the correspondence to: Attention: Board, c/o Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Cutera, Inc., 3240 Bayshore Blvd., Brisbane, California 94005-1021. The envelope should indicate that it contains a stockholder communication. All such stockholder communications will be forwarded to the director or directors to whom the communications are addressed, unless the communication is unduly hostile, threatening, illegal, does not reasonably relate to us or our business, or is inappropriate. The Corporate Secretary has the authority to discard or disregard any inappropriate communications or to take other appropriate actions with respect to any such inappropriate communications. The Board will endeavor to promptly respond to all appropriate communications and encourages all stockholders and interested persons to use the aforementioned email and mailing address to send communications relating to the our business to the Board and its members.

Succession Planning

Succession planning is a top priority for the Board and our management team, with the objective of having a pipeline of leaders for the immediate and long-term future. The Board and management take a proactive approach to achieve this objective. The Board has delegated to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, pursuant to the committee’s charter, the responsibility for CEO and senior management succession planning. The committee is tasked with doing so in the context of the challenges and opportunities facing us, of the skills and expertise likely to be required by us in the future and of the benefits of diversity in its widest sense. These processes enable the Board to address both long-term, planned occurrences, such as retirement or change in roles, as well as short-term unexpected events.

Environmental, Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate responsibility and sustainability are important to Cutera and guide our actions as a company. We have always focused on delivering strong financial results, but we are committed to doing so in a way that respects the communities and environments in which we operate. In 2019, we engaged in a wide dialogue with investors on a variety of matters, including among other things, around their growing interest in environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) performance and the impact on financial results. The Board has increased its own involvement in ESG matters by including various such matters in the revised Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. During 2020, we will provide updates on our initiatives and activities in the ESG aspects of our business

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under the “Investor Overview Corporate Governance” section of the Company’s website at www.cutera.com, which provides information on our policies, social impact and environmental programs, as well as our sustainability efforts.

Stock Ownership Guidelines

To enhance our overall corporate governance practices and director compensation program, our Board adopted Stock Ownership Guidelines on July 28, 2017, which were amended and restated in their entirety by Amended and Restated Stock Ownership Guidelines adopted by our Board on June 11, 2019. The Amended and Restated Stock Ownership Guidelines are applicable to our non-employee directors, as well as certain members of our senior management. These guidelines are designed to align our non-employee directors’ interests with our stockholders’ long-term interests by promoting long-term ownership of Cutera common stock. Our non-employee Directors are required to own the lesser of either (i) 5,200 shares of the Company’s common stock, or (ii) a number of shares of the Company’s common stock equal in value to at least three times the director’s annual compensation for Board membership (however paid, and exclusive of Committee membership compensation). Each Director has five years from the later of the date of his or her initial election to the Board or July 28, 2017 to attain the required level of ownership. Once attained, the level of ownership must be maintained.

As of April 1, the non-employee directors’ holdings and target guidelines were as follows:

On January 6, 2015, we entered into an agreement with Voce Capital Management LLC and Mr. Plants (the “Voce Agreement”), which was filed with the SEC on January 8, 2015. The Voce Agreement states the terms and understandings concerning the nomination and election of Mr. Plants to our Board of Directors and other matters. Among other things, the Agreement provides that if, at any time Voce’s ownership in our common stock (subject to adjustment for stock splits, reclassifications, combinations and similar adjustments) falls below 140,000 shares, then Mr. Plants will immediately resign from our Board.

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REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE

In accordance with its written charter, the Audit Committee of the Board is responsible for assisting the Board to fulfill its oversight of the integrity of the Company’s financial statements and internal controls, the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, the independent auditors’ qualifications and independence, and the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and independent auditors. It is the responsibility of the Company’s management to prepare the Company’s financial statements, and develop and maintain adequate systems of internal accounting and financial controls, facilitating the internal audit intended to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of the Company’s financial and operating internal control systems.

BDO USA, LLP (“BDO”), the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2019 (the “independent auditors”), was responsible for performing independent audits of the Company’s consolidated financial statements and internal control over financial reporting and issuing an opinion on the conformity of those audited financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The independent auditors also review the Company’s interim financial statements in accordance with applicable auditing standards.

In evaluating the independence of BDO, the Audit Committee has (i) received the written disclosures and the letter from BDO required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) regarding the audit firm’s communications with the Committee concerning independence, and (ii) discussed with BDO the firm’s independence from the Company and management. The Audit Committee has concluded that BDO was independent from the Company and its management. The Audit Committee has reviewed with the independent auditors and the Company’s internal auditors the overall scope and specific plans for their respective audits, and the Committee regularly monitored the progress of both in assessing the Company’s compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, including their findings, required resources and progress.

In 2019, the Audit Committee held five meetings. At every regular quarterly meeting, the Committee reviews the results of the independent auditor’s examinations, their evaluations of the Company’s internal controls, and the overall quality of the Company’s accounting and financial reporting. Following the regular quarterly meeting, the Audit Committee meets separately with the independent auditors, without management present, and also meets separately with the Company’s management. In addition, from time-to-time the Audit Committee meets with the Company’s independent internal audit firm.

The Audit Committee met with management and the independent auditors and discussed the fair and complete presentation of the Company’s financial statements. The Audit Committee also discussed and reviewed with the independent auditors, all communications required, including those matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the PCAOB and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Audit Committee discussed significant accounting policies applied in the financial statements, as well as alternative treatments. Management represents that the consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP and the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed the audited consolidated financial statements with both management and the Company’s independent auditors.

Relying on the foregoing reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board, and the Board approved, inclusion of the audited consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The foregoing report is provided by the undersigned members of the Audit Committee.

Joseph E. Whitters, Chairperson

Timothy J. O’Shea

J. Daniel Plants

The material in this report is not deemed soliciting material or filed with the SEC and is not to be incorporated by reference in any filing of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, whether made before or after the date of this Proxy Statement and irrespective of any general incorporation language in those filings.

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PROPOSAL ONE-ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Each of our current directors was elected or appointed to serve on the Board for a term ending at the 2020 Annual Meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Each nominee for election at the Annual Meeting, if elected, will serve for a one-year term ending at the 2021 annual meeting of stockholders and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

The name of each current member of the Board (each of which is a nominee for election to the Board, except for David B. Apfelberg, M.D.) and his or her age as of April 1, 2020, the principal occupation and length of service on the Board are as follows:

Director Biographies

David H. Mowry was appointed as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board on July 8, 2019. Prior to joining Cutera, from May 2016 to October 2018, Mr. Mowry served as President and Chief Executive Officer, as well as a member of the Board of Directors, of Vyaire Medical, a global leader in the respiratory diagnostics, ventilation, and anesthesia delivery and patient monitoring market segments. Prior to his assignment at Vyaire, Mr. Mowry served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Wright Medical Group N.V., a global medical device company focused on extremities and biologics products, from October 2015 to May 2016, and during this time period he was also a member of the Board of Directors of EndoChoice Holdings, Inc., a company focused on the manufacturing and commercialization of platform technologies relating to the treatment of gastrointestinal conditions. Prior to Mr. Mowry’s assignment at Wright Medical Group, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Tornier N.V. from February 2013 until October 2015, at which time Tornier and Wright Medical Group merged, and prior to that, as Chief Operating Officer of Tornier from 2011 to 2013. Within the spine industry, Mr. Mowry served as Vice President of Operations and Logistics at Zimmer Spine

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from February 2002 until October 2006. Mr. Mowry has held executive leadership positions over his thirty year medical device career at Covidien plc, ev3, Inc. and Zimmer Spine, Inc. Mr. Mowry is on the board of directors of Alphatec Holdings, Inc., a public medical technology company that designs, develops, and markets products for the surgical treatment of spine disorders. Mr. Mowry received a B.S. degree in Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point. We believe Mr. Mowry’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his prior education and training, leadership qualities, and his 30 years of medical device industry experience, including 12 years of executive experience in managing major divisions and companies.

J. Daniel Plants was appointed Chairperson of the Board in October 2016 and has been a member of the Board since January 2015. Mr. Plants has been Managing Partner of Voce Capital Management LLC since 2009 and also serves on the board of Calix, Inc., a publicly-listed company that provides broadband communications access systems and software. Mr. Plants also served on the board of directors of Destination Maternity Corporation, a maternity apparel retailer, from November 2014 until December 2016. Prior to founding Voce Capital Management, Mr. Plants held a number of positions at leading Wall Street firms, including executive roles in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, and as a corporate attorney with Sullivan & Cromwell. Mr. Plants co-founded The Bay Area Urban Debate League and served as its Vice Chairman from 2008 to 2012. Mr. Plants holds a Juris Doctorate degree from University of Michigan Law School and an undergraduate degree from Baylor University. We believe Mr. Plants’ qualifications to serve on our Board include his substantial experience as a strategic advisor and corporate attorney, as well as his role as the founder of a successful investment management firm and status as a significant Company stockholder, which bring valuable skills and perspective to the Board in the areas of finance, capital markets, strategy and corporate governance.

David B. Apfelberg, M.D. (not nominated for re-election to the Board) has served as a member of our Board since November 1998. Since 1980, Dr. Apfelberg has held various roles at the Stanford University Medical Center, and currently serves as an Adjunct Clinical Professor of Plastic Surgery. Since 1987, Dr. Apfelberg has also been a consultant for entrepreneurs and venture capital companies in the areas of medical devices and medicine. From June 1991 to May 2001, Dr. Apfelberg was Director of the Plastic Surgery Center in Atherton, California. Dr. Apfelberg is the author of five books on lasers in medicine and is a founding member and past president of the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery. Dr. Apfelberg holds a Bachelor of Medical Science, and an M.D. from Northwestern University Medical School. We believe Dr. Apfelberg’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his medical expertise, understanding of our products, and his knowledge of the aesthetics market generally.

Gregory A. Barrett has served as a member of our Board since October 2011. Mr. Barrett also serves on the board of Aqua Medical, Inc., BTG plc, and Global Kinetics Corp. Ltd. From September 2013 to October 2016, Mr. Barrett was the President and Chief Executive Officer of DFINE, Inc., a private medical device company that was acquired by Merit Medical. Mr. Barrett was the Chairperson, President and Chief Executive Officer of BÂRRX Medical, Inc., a private medical device manufacturer and distributer of products to treat gastrointestinal diseases that was acquired by Covidien. Prior to joining BÂRRX Medical in February 2004, from January 2001 through August 2003, Mr. Barrett served as President and Chief Executive Officer of ACMI Corporation, a developer of medical visualization and energy systems; Group Vice President at Boston Scientific Corporation; Vice President, Global Sales and Marketing at both Orthofix Corporation (formerly American Medical Electronics) and Baxter Healthcare. Mr. Barrett holds a B.A. in Marketing from the University of Texas, Austin. Mr. Barrett has held various Board positions with Softscope Medical, BaroSense, Monteris Medical, as well as Board positions with the companies in which he was employed. We believe Mr. Barrett’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his more than 41 years of diverse experiences in the medical device industry, including time spent serving as president and Chief Executive Officer of several medical device companies.

Timothy J. O’Shea has served as a member of our Board since April 2004. Mr. O’Shea was with OXO Capital from 2008 to 2014 serving as managing director. From 1995 to 2008, he served in a variety of management positions at Boston Scientific, including Corporate Vice President of Business Development from 2000 to 2008. Mr. O’Shea currently acts as an advisor to several medical device companies. Mr. O’Shea holds a B.A. in history

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from the University of Detroit. We believe Mr. O’Shea’s qualifications to serve on our Board include his corporate marketing knowledge as well as his diverse experience in the medical device industry working for a large medical device company.

Joseph E. Whitters has served as a member of our Board since February 2019. He has been an advisor/consultant to Frazier Healthcare, a private equity firm, since 2005. From 1986 to 2005, Mr. Whitters served in various capacities with First Health Group Corp., a publicly traded managed care company, most recently as Executive Vice President. He also previously served as the Controller for United Healthcare Corp. from 1984 to 1986. Prior to that, Mr. Whitters served as the Manager of Accounting and Taxation for Overland Express, a publicly traded trucking company, and he began his career in public accounting with Peat Marwick (now KPMG). Mr. Whitters currently serves as a member of the board of directors of publicly-traded companies Accuray, Inc., and PRGX Global, Inc., where he serves as Chairman. Previously, Mr. Whitters served on the boards of directors and audit committees of various public companies, including Analogic Corporation, Air Methods Corporation and Omnicell Technologies. Mr. Whitters has also been an advisor or board member of several private companies. Mr. Whitters holds a B.A. in Accounting from Luther College. We believe Mr. Whitters’ business leadership skills and experience in building and running global financial organizations at listed companies will bring valuable expertise and perspective to the Board.

Katherine S. Zanotti has served as a member of our Board since February 2019. She previously served as chief executive officer of Arbonne International from August 2009 until June 2018. Ms. Zanotti has also served as Chairman of Natural Products Group (the holding company of Arbonne, Natures Gate, and Levlad) since March 2010. From July 2002 to March 2006, she served as senior vice president of marketing at McDonald’s Corporation. Ms. Zanotti is a retired vice president of the Procter & Gamble Company and most recently served as vice president and general manager of the North American pharmaceutical business and the corporate women’s health platform. Ms. Zanotti currently serves on the Board of Exact Sciences, and as a member of the Board of Trustees of Xavier University. She previously served as a director of Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc., a worldwide manufacturer and provider of medical technologies and related services; Mentor Corporation, a medical device company; Alberto Culver Company, a personal care products company; and Third Wave Technologies, Inc., a molecular diagnostics company. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and studio fine arts from Georgetown University and an MBA in marketing and finance from Xavier University. We believe Ms. Zanotti’s qualifications to serve on our Board include her years of diverse experiences, including experience in the aesthetics industry, and her experience serving as president and Chief Executive Officer of Arbonne International.

For terms beginning with our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Board nominated Gregory A. Barrett, David H. Mowry, Timothy J. O’Shea, J. Daniel Plants, Joseph E. Whitters, and Katherine S. Zanotti for re-election as directors. The nominees were recommended to the Board by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee recommended to the Board that all directors other than our Chief Executive Officer be independent as defined by NASDAQ listing rules.

Dr. Apfelberg notified the Board that he would not be standing for re-election at our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders for personal reasons. Dr. Apfelberg’s decision is not based on any disagreement with the Company, nor any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.

Following the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the number of directors constituting the Board will be reduced from seven to six.

Board of Directors’ Recommendation

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE SIX NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR LISTED ABOVE.

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PROPOSAL TWO-RATIFICATION OF BDO USA, LLP AS OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Audit Committee of the Board has selected BDO USA, LLP (“BDO”) as the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm to perform the audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ending December 31, 2020. BDO audited the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years 2014 through 2019.

The Board is asking the stockholders to ratify the selection of BDO as the Company’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for 2020. Although not required by law, by rules of NASDAQ, or by the Company’s bylaws, the Board is submitting the selection of BDO to the stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate practice. Even if the selection is ratified, the Audit Committee in its discretion may select a different Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.

We have requested that representatives of BDO be present at the Annual Meeting. They will have an opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and will be available to respond to appropriate questions from the Company’s stockholders.

Board of Directors’ Recommendation

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR THE RATIFICATION OF THE SELECTION OF BDO AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2020.

Principal Accountant Fees and Services

To help ensure the independence of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, the Audit Committee has adopted a policy for the pre-approval of all audit and non-audit services to be performed for the Company by its Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Pursuant to this policy, all audit and non-audit services to be performed by the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm must be approved in advance by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee may delegate to one or more of its members the authority to grant the required approvals, provided that any exercise of such authority is presented to the full Audit Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.

All of the services provided by BDO described in the table below were approved by the Audit Committee.

The aggregate fees incurred by the Company for audit and non-audit services in 2019 and 2018 were as follows:

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PROPOSAL THREE-NON-BINDING ADVISORY VOTE ON THE COMPENSATION OF NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

General

As required pursuant to Section 14A of the Exchange Act, the Board is asking you to approve, on an advisory and non-binding basis, the executive compensation programs and policies and the resulting 2019 compensation of our Named Executive Officers listed in the 2019 Summary Compensation Table on page 55 (our “Named Executive Officers”) as described in this proxy statement.

This proposal, commonly known as a “say-on-pay” proposal, gives our stockholders the opportunity to express their views on our Named Executive Officers’ compensation as a whole. This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation or any specific Named Executive Officer, but rather the overall compensation of all of our Named Executive Officers and the philosophy, policies and practices described in this proxy statement. Because the vote is advisory, the result will not be binding on our Compensation Committee and it will not affect, limit or augment any existing compensation or awards. The say-on-pay vote will, however, provide information to the Compensation Committee and our Board regarding investor sentiment about our executive compensation philosophy, policies and practices, which they will take into account when considering future compensation arrangements. Our Board and the Compensation Committee value the opinions of our stockholders and to the extent there is any significant vote against the compensation of the Named Executive Officers as disclosed in this proxy statement, they will consider our stockholders’ concerns and the Compensation Committee will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address those concerns.

We recommend that you read the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and compensation tables and also consider the factors below in determining whether to approve this proposal.

Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

Our Compensation Committee reviews the compensation of our Named Executive Officers and strikes a balance between fixed base pay and pay-for-performance (“PFP”) programs that tie compensation directly to specific business goals and management objectives. Our Compensation Committee designs our executive compensation program to support our near-term financial and strategic objectives and promote the long-term growth of our Company.

Our executive compensation program aims to recruit and retain key executive officers responsible for our success and to help motivate these officers to enhance long-term stockholder value. To achieve these ends, the Compensation Committee’s executive compensation decisions are based on the following principal objectives:

We believe the compensation of our executive officers and employees should reflect our performance as an organization, and their performance as individuals, in attaining key financial and operating objectives established by our Board. In addition, we strive to promote an ownership mentality among our employees, including our executive officers, which we believe is best achieved through our equity incentive program and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Also, as our Company matures and we lay the foundation for longer term growth and

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sustained profitability, we endeavor to conserve our cash resources. To that end, one important aspect of our overall compensation philosophy is to set base salaries that are competitive relative to compensation in a peer group of companies (the “Peer Group”), in addition to equity and performance-based incentive compensation, which we believe best aligns the interests of our employees and our stockholders.

Key Features of Our Executive Compensation Program

Fiscal Year 2019 Compensation Overview

When designing our fiscal year 2019 executive compensation program, the Compensation Committee considered the program philosophy and objectives set forth above and the intense competition for executive talent within the medical device industry and the broader high-tech industry in Silicon Valley, California. On January 4, 2019, James A. Reinstein resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. R. Jason Richey served as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer until July 8, 2019. On July 8, 2019, David H. Mowry joined our Company as Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Richey was appointed as President. Messrs. Reinstein, Mowry and Richey were designated as executive officers of the Company by the Board. On November 15, 2019, Sandra A. Gardiner resigned as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Fuad Ahmad was appointed Interim Chief Financial Officer on a consulting basis as an employee of FLG Partners, LLC, who we engaged to provide us with an interim chief financial officer on November 15, 2019 . Mr. Ahmad was designated as an executive officer of the Company by the Board. Included in our Compensation Discussion and Analysis below is a discussion relating to our named executive officers for 2019: Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mowry (effective July 8, 2019); Former Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Reinstein (resigned January 4, 2019); President, Mr. Richey; Interim Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Ahmad (effective November 15, 2019); and Former Chief Financial Officer,

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Ms. Gardiner (resigned November 15, 2019). The Compensation Committee’s overall objective is to compensate our Named Executive Officers in a manner that attracts and retains the caliber of individuals needed to manage and staff a demanding growth business in the rapidly evolving, innovative and competitive medical device industry.

For a detailed discussion about our compensation philosophy, policies and practices, and other corporate governance policies, see the section titled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” below beginning on page 40.

Summary of the Key Features of our 2019 Executive Compensation Program .

We believe that the information provided above and within the Executive Compensation section of this proxy statement demonstrates that our executive compensation program has been designed appropriately and is working to ensure our Named Executive Officers’ interests are aligned with our stockholders’ interests to support long-term value creation. Accordingly, we ask our stockholders to vote “FOR” the following resolution at the Annual Meeting:

“RESOLVED, that the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, compensation tables and narrative discussion, is hereby APPROVED.”

Consistent with the preference of our stockholders, as reflected in the advisory vote on the frequency of future say-on-pay votes, so-called “Say When on Pay,” conducted at our 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Board has adopted a policy providing for annual advisory votes on the compensation of the Named Executive Officers.

Board of Directors’ Recommendation

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE ADVISORY (NON-BINDING) VOTE APPROVING THE COMPENSATION OF THE NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.

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PROPOSAL FOUR-APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF OUR 2019 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

General

We are asking our stockholders to approve the amendment and restatement of the Cutera, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Amended and Restated Plan”). Our Board has approved the Amended and Restated Plan, subject to approval from stockholders at the 2020 Annual Meeting. We are asking our stockholders to approve the Amended and Restated Plan because we have insufficient shares available to continue to make equity grants, which we believe are necessary to be able to recruit new employees and continue to provide long-term incentives to existing employees and directors. Outstanding awards will remain outstanding and shall continue to be subject to the terms of the Amended and Restated Plan and the respective award agreements, until the expiration of such awards in accordance with their terms.

The Amended and Restated Plan includes the following material changes:

Approval of the additional shares under the Amended and Restated Plan will allow us to continue to provide incentives to attract, retain and motivate eligible persons whose present and potential contributions are important to our success by offering them an opportunity to participate in our future performance. We believe that the Amended and Restated Plan is in the best interests of the Company because of the continuing need to provide stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance stock units, and other equity-based incentives to attract and retain qualified personnel and to respond to relevant market changes in equity compensation practices. The use of equity compensation has historically been a significant part of our overall compensation philosophy and is a practice that we plan to continue. In addition, equity awards granted to employees under the Amended and Restated Plan will provide our eligible employees with an opportunity to acquire or increase their ownership stake in the Company, and we believe this aligns their interests with those of our stockholders, creating strong incentives for our employees to work hard for our future growth and success.

We firmly believe that a broad-based equity program is a necessary and powerful employee incentive and retention tool that benefits all of our stockholders. Equity ownership programs put employees’ interests directly into alignment with those of other stockholders, as they reward employees based upon stock price performance. Without the ability to grant market-based equity incentives to our employees, we believe we would be at a disadvantage against other companies—both competitors in our commercial market, and those companies with whom we compete for talent — to provide the total compensation package necessary to attract, retain and motivate the employee talent critical to our future success. Without equity incentives, we would be forced to consider cash replacement alternatives to provide a market-competitive total compensation package necessary to attract, retain and motivate the employee talent critical to our future growth and success. These cash replacement alternatives could, among other things, reduce the cash available for investment in growth and development of new and existing products, cause a loss of motivation by employees to achieve superior performance over the

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longer term, and reduce the incentive of employees to remain employed with us during the equity award vesting period.

Our current practice is to limit equity grants to selected key employees that includes certain new hires, members of the management team, senior executive team members, non-employee directors, and other key contributors. Our practice has evolved following discussions with our compensation consultant to primarily grant only restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance stock units (“PSUs”). While the Amended and Restated Plan still provides the ability to issue stock options, SARs, and other awards, the Board currently intends, absent extraordinary circumstances, to limit its grant practices to the award of full-value shares such as RSAs, RSUs and PSUs. We believe that equity compensation is an important component of our long-term employee incentive and retention plan and has been very effective in enabling us to attract and retain the talent critical for an innovative and growth-focused company.

If the Company’s stockholders do not approve the Amended and Restated Plan, then the current share limit will continue in effect, and we will continue to make awards, subject to such share limit. However, the Company’s plans to operate its business could be adversely affected as reduced equity awards could increase employee turnover, make it more difficult to motivate and retain existing employees, make us less competitive in hiring new talent into the Company to grow our business. Additionally, as a consequence, we may need to increase the cash-based compensation incentives in hiring and retaining top talent, which could adversely impact our financial results of operations, cash flows and balance sheet.

Design of our Amended and Restated Plan and Grant Practices

Our Amended and Restated Plan design is set-up to conform to best current compensation practices and implement strong governance-related protections for our stockholders, which include:

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Considerations of the Board in Determining the Number of Shares to be Added

In determining the number of shares to be added under the Amended and Restated Plan, the Board considered a number of factors, including the following:

Historical Equity Awards Data as of the Record Date (April 16, 2020)

As of April 16, 2020, we had 242,216 outstanding stock options with a weighted average exercise price of $24.773 per share and a weighted average remaining contractual term of 3.09 years. We also had 948,886 outstanding RSUs and PSUs with a weighted average remaining contractual term of 1.76 years.

There were 1,067,206 shares available for grant in the Amended and Restated Plan as of April 16, 2020 (including the 600,000 shares that we are requesting stockholders to approve at the 2020 Annual Meeting).

Burn Rate and Overhang

The following table summarizes the Company’s gross burn rate over the prior three fiscal years (2017-2019):

The Company’s burn rate for fiscal year 2019 was 5.12%, and for the three-year period from 2017 to 2019, was 3.84%.

Post-Increase Total Overhang as of Record Date (April 16, 2020)

The following table summarizes, as of April 16, 2020, the Company’s issued and total equity overhang.

(a) the sum of (x) the number of shares subject to equity awards outstanding at the end of the period and (y) the number of shares available for future grant under equity plans, by;

(b) the number of shares outstanding at the end of the period.

Our Compensation Committee carefully considers the impact of potential dilution on our stockholders from equity-based awards, as well as the ability to maintain an equity incentive plan that can attract and retain employee talent, while keeping the rate of dilution low. After carefully forecasting our anticipated growth rate for the next few years and considering our historical forfeiture rates, we currently believe that the share reserve, which will include the additional 600,000 shares, will be sufficient for us to make anticipated grants of equity incentive awards under our current compensation program for at least the next two years. However, a change in business conditions or our strategy, one or more acquisitions, or equity market performance could alter this

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projection. The Compensation Committee and the Board believe that approving at least two years’ projected equity awards will enable stockholders to continue to provide input on share increases in equity plans on a reasonable interval.

Our directors and Named Executive Officers have an interest in this proposal as they are eligible to receive equity awards under the Plan.

What Happens if Stockholders Do Not Approve the Amended and Restated Plan

If the Company’s stockholders do not approve the Amended and Restated Plan, then the current share limit will continue in effect, and we will continue to make awards, subject to such share limit. However, the Company’s plans to operate its business could be adversely affected as reduced equity awards could increase employee turnover, make it more difficult to motivate and retain existing employees, make Cutera less competitive in hiring new talent into the Company to grow our business. Additionally, as a consequence, we may need to increase the cash-based compensation incentives in hiring and retaining top talent, which could adversely impact our financial results of operations, cash flows and balance sheet.

Vote Required

Approval of the Amended and Restated Plan requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of our Common Stock that are present in person or proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Board of Directors’ Recommendation

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE AMENDED AND RESTATED PLAN.

Summary of the Amended and Restated Plan

The following is a summary of the principal features of the Amended and Restated Plan and its operation. It is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Amended and Restated Plan set forth in this proxy statement as Appendix A .

The Amended and Restated Plan provides for the grant of the following types of incentive Awards: (i) stock options, (ii) restricted stock, (iii) restricted stock units, (iv) stock appreciation rights (v) performance units and performance shares, and (vi) and other stock or cash awards. Each of these is referred to individually as an “Award.” Those eligible for Awards under the Amended and Restated Plan include members of the Board and employees and consultants who provide services to us or any parent or subsidiary of ours. As of April 16, 2020, we had approximately 391 employees, 26 consultants, and 6 outside directors who were eligible to participate in this Amended and Restated Plan. As stated, the Amended and Restated Plan allows us to grant Awards to consultants, and in certain circumstances, we have granted Awards to individual consultants of the Company performing a critical function.

Number of Shares of Common Stock Available Under the Amended and Restated Plan . The Company’s Board of Directors approved on April 21, 2020 the addition of an incremental 600,000 shares to the Plan subject to stockholder approval at the 2020 Annual Meeting on June 15, 2020. As of April 16, 2020, a total of 11,101,192 shares were authorized for issuance under the Plan, of which 467,206 shares remained available for future awards. Upon stockholder approval of the Amended and Restated Plan at the 2020 Annual Meeting on June 15, 2020, a total of 11,701,192 shares is authorized for issuance under the Amended and Restated Plan, of which 1,067,206 shares remained available for future awards when the Amended and Restated Plan was approved by the Board. The shares may be authorized, but unissued or reacquired common stock.

Any shares subject to Awards granted before June 14, 2019 with an exercise price less than fair market value per share of our common stock on the date of grant of such Awards will be counted against the numerical limit in the

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previous paragraph as 2.12 shares for every one share subject thereto. Further, if shares acquired through any such Award are forfeited or repurchased by us and would otherwise return to the Amended and Restated Plan as described in the following paragraph, 2.12 times the number of shares so forfeited or repurchased will return to the Amended and Restated Plan and will again become available for issuance.

If an Award expires or becomes unexercisable without having been exercised in full, or, with respect to restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares or performance units, is forfeited to or repurchased by us, the unpurchased shares (or for Awards other than options and stock appreciation rights, the forfeited or repurchased shares) which were subject thereto will become available for future grant or sale under the Amended and Restated Plan. Upon exercise of a stock appreciation rights settled in shares, the gross number of shares covered by the portion of the stock appreciation right will cease to be available under the Amended and Restated Plan. If the exercise price of an option is paid by tender to us, or attestation to the ownership, of shares of our common stock owned by the participant, the number of shares available for issuance under the Amended and Restated Plan will be reduced by the gross number of shares for which the option is exercised. Shares that have actually been issued under the Amended and Restated Plan under any Award will not be returned to the Amended and Restated Plan and will not become available for future distribution under the Amended and Restated Plan; provided, however, that if shares of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares or performance units are repurchased by us or are forfeited to us, such shares will become available for future grant under the Amended and Restated Plan as described above. Shares used to pay the exercise price of an Award and/or used to satisfy tax withholding obligations will not become available for future grant or sale under the Amended and Restated Plan. To the extent an Award is paid out in cash rather than shares of our common stock, such cash payment will not reduce the number of shares available for issuance under the Amended and Restated Plan.

If we declare a stock dividend or engage in reorganization or other change in our capital structure, including a merger, the Administrator will adjust the (i) number and class of shares available for issuance under the Amended and Restated Plan, (ii) number, class and price of shares subject to outstanding Awards, and (iii) specified per-person limits on Awards to reflect the change.

Administration of the Amended and Restated Plan . Our Board, or its Compensation Committee, or a committee of directors or of other individuals satisfying applicable laws and appointed by our Board (the “Administrator”), administers the Amended and Restated Plan. To make grants to certain of our officers and key employees, the members of the committee must qualify as “non-employee directors” under Rule 16b-3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”).

Subject to the terms of the Amended and Restated Plan, the Administrator has the sole discretion to select the employees, consultants, and directors who will receive Awards, to determine the number of shares to be covered by each Award, to determine the terms and conditions of Awards, to modify or amend each Award (subject to the restrictions of the Amended and Restated Plan), to approve the forms of Award agreement for use under the Amended and Restated Plan, to interpret the provisions of the Amended and Restated Plan and outstanding Awards, to allow participants to satisfy withholding tax obligations by electing to have us withhold from the shares to be issued upon exercise that number of shares having a fair market value equal to the minimum amount required to be withheld, and to allow participants to defer the receipt of payment of cash or the delivery of shares of our common stock that would otherwise be due under an Award according to such procedures as the Administrator determines.

The Administrator may, but only with stockholder approval, implement an exchange program under which (i) outstanding Awards may be surrendered or cancelled in exchange for Awards of the same type, Awards of a different type, and/or cash, (ii) participants would have the opportunity to transfer any outstanding Awards to a financial institution or other person or entity selected by the Administrator, and/or (iii) the exercise price of an outstanding Award could be reduced.

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The Administrator has the authority to make all other determinations necessary or advisable for administering the Amended and Restated Plan, and the Administrator’s decisions, determinations, and interpretations will be final and binding on all participants and any other holders of Awards.

Vesting . The Amended and Restated Plan allows for awards subject to either time-based vesting or performance-based vesting, or both. All time-based awards that are designated to be settled in shares of common stock have a minimum vesting period of one year, and all performance-based awards that are designated to be settled in shares of our common stock have a minimum performance period of one year. These minimum vesting requirements are subject to an exception with respect to five percent of the shares that remain available for future awards and the permitted acceleration of vesting as a result of a participant’s death or disability, a change in control or the Administrator’s exercise of discretion in accordance with the terms of the Amended and Restated Plan.

Automatic Director Grants . The Amended and Restated Plan provides for an automatic grant to each outside director on the date the person first becomes an outside director of shares of restricted stock represented by the quotient of $150,000 divided by the closing market price of Cutera common stock on the date the person first becomes an outside director (the “Initial Award”). Each Initial Award will vest and become exercisable as to one-third of the shares of restricted stock on each of the first three annual anniversaries of its date of grant, subject to continued service as a member of the Board through each such anniversary. In addition, each outside director who is a director on the date of each Annual Meeting of stockholders and has been a director for at least the preceding six months, will receive an award of shares of restricted stock represented by the quotient of $100,000 divided by the closing market price of Cutera common stock on the date of such Annual Meeting. These shares of restricted stock vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date, subject to continued service as a member of the Board through such anniversary.

Options . The Administrator is able to grant non-statutory stock options and incentive stock options under the Amended and Restated Plan. The Administrator determines the number of shares subject to each option, although the Amended and Restated Plan provides that a participant may not receive options for more than 1,000,000 shares in any fiscal year, except in connection with his or her initial service with us, in which case he or she may be granted an option covering up to an additional 1,000,000 shares.

The Administrator determines the exercise price of options granted under the Amended and Restated Plan, provided the per share exercise price must be at least equal to, and not less than, the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date of grant. In addition, the per share exercise price of an incentive stock option granted to any participant who owns more than 10% of the total voting power of all classes of outstanding stock of ours or any parent or subsidiary of ours must be at least 110% of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the grant date.

The term of each option will be stated in the Award agreement. The term of an option may not exceed seven years, except that, with respect to any participant who owns more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of outstanding stock of ours or any parent or subsidiary of ours, the term of an incentive stock option may not exceed five years.

After a termination of service with us, a participant will be able to exercise the vested portion of his or her option for the period of time stated in the Award agreement. If no such period of time is stated in the participant’s Award agreement, the participant will generally be able to exercise his or her option for (i) three months following his or her termination for reasons other than death or disability, and (ii) twelve months following his or her termination due to death or disability. In no event may an option be exercise beyond its maximum term.

Restricted Stock . Awards of restricted stock are rights to acquire or purchase shares of our common stock, which vest in accordance with the terms and conditions established by the Administrator in its sole discretion. For example, the Administrator may set restrictions based on the achievement of specific performance goals. The Administrator, in its discretion, may accelerate the time at which any restrictions will lapse or be removed. The

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Award agreement generally will grant us the right to repurchase or reacquire the shares upon the termination of the participant’s service with us for any reason (including death or disability). During the period during which the transfer of a participant’s shares of restricted stock are subject to restrictions, (i) the participant may exercise full voting rights with respect to those shares, unless the Administrator determines otherwise, but (ii) the participant will not be entitled to receive dividends or other distributions paid with respect to such shares. The Administrator will determine the number of shares granted pursuant to an Award of restricted stock, but no participant will be granted a right to purchase or acquire more than 300,000 shares of restricted stock during any fiscal year, except that a participant may be granted up to an additional 300,000 shares of restricted stock in connection with his or her initial employment with us.

Restricted Stock Units . Awards of restricted stock units result in a payment to a participant only if the vesting criteria the Administrator establishes is satisfied. For example, the Administrator may set vesting criteria based on the achievement of specific performance goals. The restricted stock units vest at a rate determined by the Administrator; provided, however, that after the grant of restricted stock units, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any restrictions for such restricted stock units. Upon satisfying the applicable vesting criteria, the participant will be entitled to the payout specified in the Award agreement. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, may pay earned restricted stock units in cash, shares, or a combination thereof. Restricted stock units that are fully paid in cash will not reduce the number of shares available for grant under the Amended and Restated Plan. On the date set forth in the Award agreement, all unearned restricted stock units will be forfeited to us. The Administrator determines the number of restricted stock units granted to any participant, but no participant may be granted more than 300,000 restricted stock units during any fiscal year, except that the participant may be granted up to an additional 300,000 restricted stock units in connection with his or her initial employment with us.

Stock Appreciation Rights . The Administrator will be able to grant stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), which are the rights to receive the appreciation in fair market value of common stock between the exercise date and the date of grant. We can pay the appreciation in cash, shares of common stock, or a combination thereof. The Administrator, subject to the terms of the Amended and Restated Plan, will have complete discretion to determine the terms and conditions of SARs granted under the Amended and Restated Plan, provided, however, that the exercise price may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share on the date of grant and the term of a SAR may not exceed seven years. No participant will be granted SARs covering more than 1,000,000 shares during any fiscal year, except that a participant may be granted SARs covering up to an additional 1,000,000 shares in connection with his or her initial service with us.

The Administrator may grant “affiliated” SARs, “freestanding” SARs, “tandem” SARs, or any combination thereof. An “affiliated SAR” is a SAR that is granted in connection with a related option and which automatically will be deemed to be exercised at the same time that the related option is exercised. However, an affiliated SAR will not require a reduction in the number of shares subject to the related option. A “freestanding” SAR is one that is granted independent of any options. A “tandem” SAR is a SAR granted in connection with an option that entitles the participant to exercise the SAR by surrendering to us an equivalent portion of the unexercised related option. A tandem SAR may be exercised only with respect to the shares for which its related option is then exercisable. With respect to a tandem SAR granted in connection with an incentive stock option, the tandem SAR will expire no later than the expiration of the underlying incentive stock option, the value of the payout with respect to the tandem SAR will be for no more than 100% of the difference between the exercise price of the underlying incentive stock option and the fair market value of the shares subject to the underlying incentive stock option at the time the tandem SAR is exercised, and the tandem SAR will be exercisable only when the fair market value of the shares subject to the incentive stock option exceeds the exercise price of the incentive stock option.

After termination of service with us, a participant will be able to exercise the vested portion of his or her SAR for the period of time stated in the Award agreement. If no such period of time is stated in a participant’s Award agreement, a participant will generally be able to exercise his or her vested SARs for the same period of time as applies to stock options.

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Performance Units and Performance Shares . The Administrator may grant performance units and performance shares, which are Awards that will result in a payment to a participant only if the performance goals or other vesting criteria the Administrator may establish are achieved or the Awards otherwise vest. Earned performance units and performance shares will be paid, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, in the form of cash, shares, or in a combination thereof. The Administrator will establish performance or other vesting criteria in its discretion, which, depending on the extent to which they are met, will determine the number and/or the value of performance units and performance shares to be paid out to participants. The performance units and performance shares will vest at a rate determined by the Administrator; provided, however, that after the grant of a performance unit or performance share, the Administrator, in its sole discretion, may reduce or waive any performance objectives or other vesting provisions for such performance unit or performance share. On the date set forth in the Award agreement, all unearned or unvested performance units or performance shares will be forfeited to us. During any fiscal year, no participant will receive more than 300,000 performance shares and no participant will receive performance units having an initial value greater than $2,000,000, except that a participant may be granted performance shares covering up to an additional 300,000 shares in connection with his or her initial service with us. Performance units will have an initial value established by the Administrator on or before the date of grant. Performance shares will have an initial value equal to the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the grant date.

Performance Goals . Awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance units and other incentives under the Amended and Restated Plan may be made subject to the attainment of performance goals relating to one or more business criteria and may provide for a targeted level or levels of achievement including, but not limited to: (i) cash position, (ii) earnings per Share, (iii) net income, (iv) operating cash flow, (v) operating income, (vi) operating expenses, (vii) product revenues, (viii) profit after-tax, (ix) revenue, (x) revenue growth, and (xi) total stockholder return. The performance goals may differ from participant to participant and from Award to Award, may be used alone or in combination, may be used to measure our performance as a whole or the performance of one of our business units, and may be measured relative to a peer group or index. Before the latest possible date established by the Administrator for the calculation of a performance goal, the Administrator will determine whether any significant element(s) will be included in or excluded from the calculation of any performance goal with respect to any participant.

Limits on Awards Granted to Non-Employee Directors . No non-employee/ outside director may be granted, in any fiscal year, Awards under this Amended and Restated Plan with a grant date fair value (determined in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles) of greater than $300,000. Any Awards granted to an individual while he or she was an employee, or while he or she was a consultant but not an outside director, will not count for purposes of this limitation.

Transferability of Awards . Awards granted under the Amended and Restated Plan are generally not transferable other than by will or by the laws or descent and distribution and may be exercised during a participant’s lifetime only by the participant.

Dividends on Awards. To the extent an Award permits the payment of dividends or other distributions on the shares underlying the Award, Participants will not be entitled to receive such dividends or other distributions until such Award vests.

Dissolution or Liquidation . In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company, the Administrator will notify each participant as soon as practicable before the effective date of such proposed transaction. To the extent it has not been previously exercised, an Award will terminate immediately before the consummation of such proposed action.

Change in Control . In the event we experience a change in control (as defined in the Amended and Restated Plan), each outstanding Award will be assumed or an equivalent option or right substituted by the successor corporation or a parent or subsidiary of the successor corporation. In the event that the successor corporation

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refuses to assume or substitute for the Award, the participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise all of his or her outstanding options and stock appreciation rights, including shares as to which such Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on restricted stock will lapse, and, with respect to restricted stock units, performance shares and performance units, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at target levels and all other terms and conditions met. In addition, if an option or stock appreciation right is not assumed or substituted for in the event of a change in control, the Administrator will notify the participant in writing or electronically that the option or stock appreciation right will be fully vested and exercisable for a period of time determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, and the option or stock appreciation right will terminate upon the expiration of such period.

With respect to Awards granted to an outside director that are assumed or substituted for, if on the date of or following such assumption or substitution the participant’s status as a member of our Board or a director of the successor corporation, as applicable, is terminated other than upon a voluntary resignation by the participant not at the request of the successor, then the participant will fully vest in and have the right to exercise his or her options and/or stock appreciation rights as to all of the shares subject to the Award, including shares as to which such Awards would not otherwise be vested or exercisable, all restrictions on restricted stock shall lapse, and, with respect to restricted stock units, performance shares and performance units, all performance goals or other vesting criteria will be deemed achieved at target levels and all other terms and conditions met.

Company Policies . Any Awards granted under the Amended and Restated Plan on or after June 14, 2019 are subject to the Company’s Amended and Restated Stock Ownership Guidelines. In addition, any amounts (whether in cash or shares of our common stock) received by a participant under an Award granted on or after June 14, 2019, will, to the extent applicable, be subject to our right of recoupment under the terms of the Company’s Clawback Policy.

Term of Amended and Restated Plan. The Amended and Restated Plan will become effective upon its adoption by the Board, subject to approval by our stockholders at the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. It will continue in effect until the date of the Annual Meeting in 2029, unless our Board terminates it earlier.

Amendment and Termination of the Amended and Restated Plan . The Administrator has the authority to amend, alter, suspend or terminate the Amended and Restated Plan, except that stockholder approval will be required for any amendment to the extent required by applicable laws. No amendment, alteration, suspension or termination of the Amended and Restated Plan will impair the rights of any participant, unless mutually agreed otherwise between the participant and the Administrator and which agreement must be in writing and signed by the participant and us.

Federal Tax Aspects

The following paragraphs are a summary of the general federal income tax consequences to U.S. taxpayers and us of Awards granted under the Amended and Restated Plan. Tax consequences for any particular individual may be different.

Nonstatutory Stock Options . No taxable income is reportable when a nonstatutory stock option with a per share exercise price equal to the fair market value of the underlying stock on the date of grant is granted to a participant. Upon exercise, the participant will recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value (on the exercise date) of the shares purchased over the exercise price for those shares. Any taxable income recognized in connection with an option exercise by one of our employees is subject to tax withholding by us. Any additional gain or loss recognized upon any later disposition of the shares would be capital gain or loss to the participant.

Incentive Stock Options . No taxable income is reportable when an incentive stock option is granted or exercised (except for purposes of the alternative minimum tax). If the participant exercises the option and then later sells or

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otherwise disposes of the shares more than two years after the grant date and more than one year after the exercise date, the difference between the sale price and the exercise price will be taxed as capital gain or loss. If the participant exercises the option and then later sells or otherwise disposes of the shares before the end of either of the two- or one-year holding periods described above, he or she generally will have ordinary income at the time of the sale equal to the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date (or the sale price, if less) minus the exercise price of the option.

Stock Appreciation Rights . No taxable income is reportable when a stock appreciation right with an exercise price equal to the fair market value of the underlying stock on the date of grant is granted to a participant. Upon exercise, the participant will recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to the amount of cash received and the fair market value of any shares received. Any taxable income recognized in connection with a stock appreciation right exercise by one of our employees is subject to tax withholding by us. Any additional gain or loss recognized upon any later disposition of the shares would be capital gain or loss to the participant.

Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance Units and Performance Shares . A participant generally will not have taxable income at the time an Award of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares or performance units are granted. Instead, he or she will recognize ordinary income in the first taxable year in which his or her interest in the shares underlying the Award becomes either (i) freely transferable, or (ii) no longer subject to substantial risk of forfeiture. If the participant is an employee, such ordinary income generally is subject to tax withholding by us. However, the recipient of a restricted stock Award may elect to recognize income at the time he or she receives the Award in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares underlying the Award (less any cash paid for the shares) on the date the Award is granted.

Medicare Surtax . A participant’s annual “net investment income,” as defined in Section 1411 of the Code may be subject to a 3.8% federal surtax (generally referred to as the “Medicare Surtax”). Net investment income may include capital gain and/or loss arising from the disposition of shares subject to a participant’s Awards under the Amended and Restated Plan. Whether a participant’s net investment income will be subject to the Medicare Surtax will depend on the participant’s level of annual income and other factors.

Section  409A . Section 409A of the Code (“Section 409A”) provides certain requirements for non-qualified deferred compensation arrangements with respect to an individual’s deferral and distribution elections and permissible distribution events. Awards granted under our Amended and Restated Plan with a deferral feature will be subject to the requirements of Section 409A, including stock options and stock appreciation rights granted with an exercise price below the fair market value of the underlying stock. If an Award is subject to and fails to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A, the recipient of that Award may recognize ordinary income on the amounts deferred under the Award, to the extent vested, which may be prior to when the compensation is actually or constructively received. Also, if an Award that is subject to Section 409A fails to comply with Section 409A’s provisions, Section 409A imposes an additional 20% federal income tax on compensation recognized as ordinary income, as well as interest on such deferred compensation. Some states may also apply a similar additional tax (for instance, California imposes a 5% additional tax in addition to the 20% federal additional tax).

Tax Effect for Us; Section  162(m) . We generally will be entitled to a tax deduction in connection with an Award under the Amended and Restated Plan in an amount equal to the ordinary income realized by a participant and at the time the participant recognizes such income (for example, the exercise of a nonstatutory stock option). Special rules limit the deductibility of compensation paid to our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and to each of our three most highly compensated executive officers for the taxable year. Under Section 162(m), the annual compensation paid to any of these specified executives will be deductible only to the extent that it does not exceed $1,000,000.

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THE FOREGOING IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE EFFECT OF FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION UPON PARTICIPANTS AND US WITH RESPECT TO THE GRANT AND EXERCISE OF AWARDS UNDER THE AMENDED AND RESTATED PLAN. IT DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE COMPLETE, AND DOES NOT DISCUSS THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF A PARTICIPANT’S DEATH OR THE PROVISIONS OF THE INCOME TAX LAWS OF ANY MUNICIPALITY, STATE OR FOREIGN COUNTRY IN WHICH THE PARTICIPANT MAY RESIDE

Plan Benefits

The number of awards that an employee, director, or consultant may receive under the Amended and Restated Plan is in the discretion of the administrator and therefore cannot be determined in advance. The following table sets forth: (i) the aggregate number of shares of common stock subject to options granted under the Cutera, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan during the fiscal year 2019 to each of our named executive officers; executive officers, as a group; directors who are not executive officers, as a group; and all employees who are not executive officers, as a group; (ii) the average per share exercise price of such options; (iii) the aggregate number of shares subject to RSUs and PSUs (at target) granted under the Cutera, Inc. 2019 Equity Incentive Plan during the fiscal year 2019 to each of our named executive officers; executive officers, as a group; directors who are not executive officers, as a group; and all employees who are not executive officers, as a group; and (iv) the grant-date value of shares subject to such RSUs and PSUs. As of April 16, 2020, the closing sales price of a share of our common stock as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market was $13.43.

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INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the Company’s executive officers during fiscal year 2019 as of April 1, 2020.

Please refer to Proposal 1 above for David H. Mowry’s biography.

R. Jason Richey has served as our President since July 8, 2019. Prior to serving as President, Mr. Richey served as Chief Operating Officer since July 9, 2018. Mr. Richey also served as the Company’s Interim President and Chief Executive Officer following Mr. Reinstein’s resignation on January 4, 2019 until July 8, 2019. Immediately prior to joining Cutera, Mr. Richey served as the President of North America, for LivaNova, PLC, a $5 billion global medical device manufacturer headquartered in London, England with presence in more than 110 countries worldwide. Mr. Richey joined LivaNova via the merger of Cyberonics Inc. and Sorin SpA. During his 17 year tenure with LivaNova/Cyberonics he served the company in multiple positions of increasing responsibility to include: Vice President of Global Sales, Marketing, Market Access, and Government Affairs, President & General Manager of the Neuromodulation Franchise, and Regional President, North America. At Cyberonics, among other roles, Mr. Richey served as the Vice President and General Manager of the Company’s International business. He began his medical device career at B Braun Medical in sales and sales management. Mr. Richey holds a BA degree in Biology from Indiana University.

Fuad Ahmad has served as our Interim Chief Financial Officer since November 15, 2019 on a consulting basis. Mr. Ahmad is a partner at FLG Partners, LLC, a chief financial officer services and board advisory consulting firm. Prior to this assignment, Mr. Ahmad served on an FLG assignment as Chief Financial Officer of Telenav, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNAV), a listed enterprise software company focused on connected care and location-based services. From April 2016 to June 2018, Mr. Ahmad served as Chief Financial Officer of Quantum Corporation (NYSE: QTM), a listed company focused on enterprise data storage and software defined storage workflows. From November 2015 to March 2016, Mr. Ahmad served on an FLG assignment for Real Time Innovation, Inc., a private enterprise IoT software company. At Real Time Innovation, Mr. Ahmad served as an advisor to the board of directors and the chief executive officer as the company transitioned the business to subscription pricing. Prior to Real Time Innovation, Mr. Ahmad served on an FLG assignment as Chief Financial Officer for Ensighten, Inc. from February 2013 until November 2015. From June 1996 to April 2012, Mr. Ahmad served in various positions with both public and private companies. Mr. Ahmad received a B.S. in Finance from Brigham Young University.

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis explains our executive compensation philosophy and programs, the decisions the Compensation Committee of our Board made under those programs during fiscal year 2019 and the factors considered in making those decisions. The Compensation Committee has the principal responsibility for establishing, implementing and continually monitoring adherence to our compensation philosophy and objectives. The Compensation Committee’s duties include evaluating the performance and advising the Board on the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer, and setting the compensation of our other executive officers. This Compensation Discussion and Analysis focuses on the compensation of our Named Executive Officers for 2019:

Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

For our Compensation Committee’s compensation philosophy and objectives relating to the compensation of our Named Executive Officer, please refer to Proposal Three above.

Financial Highlights for 2019

We are a global medical device company focused on the design, development, manufacture and commercialization of laser and other energy-based aesthetic systems for practitioners worldwide. We sell systems, system upgrades, hand pieces, hand piece refills and other disposable products, and distribute third-party manufactured skincare products. In addition, we have a recurring service business that includes the selling of post-warranty service contracts, parts, hand piece replacements, and generating revenue from the servicing of products that are out of warranty.

Fiscal year 2019 was a year of continued investment in our business, which resulted in record annual revenue of $181.7 million. Highlights of key achievements are as follows:

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Corporate Governance Highlights

We endeavor to maintain good corporate governance standards consistent with our executive compensation policies and practices. The following policies and practices were in effect during 2019:

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Compensation Committee’s Roles and Responsibilities

Role of the Compensation Committee and its Consultant in Setting Executive Compensation

The Compensation Committee establishes compensation for our Named Executive Officers to ensure consistency with market compensation rates for similar positions, our compensation philosophy and corporate governance guidelines. In determining total compensation for our Named Executive Officers, the Compensation Committee aligns management incentives with long-term value creation for the Company’s stockholders.

Compensation Committee Members

The members of the Compensation Committee are appointed by our Board. The chairperson of the committee is Gregory A. Barrett and the other members are David B. Apfelberg, M.D. and Katherine S. Zanotti. Each member of the Compensation Committee is a “non-employee director” for purposes of Exchange Act Rule 16b-3, and satisfies the independence requirements imposed by NASDAQ.

Compensation Committee Charter

The Compensation Committee establishes the compensation for our Named Executive Officers and administers our Equity Incentive Plans, which are currently the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan and the 2004 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. The Compensation Committee has a written charter, which can be found on our website ( www.cutera.com ) in the Investor section, under the Corporate Governance tab.

Duties of the Compensation Committee

The responsibilities of the Compensation Committee include:

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Advisory Vote on Executive Compensation

We conducted an advisory vote on executive compensation at our 2019 annual meeting of stockholders. While this vote was not binding on the Company, our Board of Directors or our Compensation Committee, we believe that it is important for our stockholders to have an opportunity to vote on this proposal on an annual basis as a means to express their views regarding our executive compensation philosophy, our compensation policies and programs, and our decisions regarding executive compensation, all as disclosed in our proxy statement.

At the 2019 annual meeting of stockholders, our stockholders approved the proposal for the non-binding advisory vote on named executive officer compensation. The Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee reviewed these final vote results and determined that no changes to our executive compensation policies and decisions were necessary at this time based on the vote results.

Compensation Consultant

The Compensation Committee engages a compensation consultant periodically based on the need for additional guidance resulting from changes in our Named Executive Officers’ roles and responsibilities, our corporate profile relative to our peers ( e.g ., type of business, market capitalization, annual revenue, profitability, etc.), Named Executive Officer turnover, and other factors as determined by our Compensation Committee. Beginning in 2011, the Compensation Committee engaged Compensia, an independent compensation consultant, periodically to advise it on various compensation matters related to our Named Executive Officers, the Board, and other members of senior management compensation matters.

In 2018 and 2019, in connection with the Company’s development of recommended pay levels and structures for our Named Executive Officers, the Compensation Committee instructed Compensia to perform the following activities:

Role of our Executives in Setting Compensation

In developing the compensation of the Named Executive Officers, the Compensation Committee meets with members of our management team, including our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and other management employees as required. The purpose of these meetings is primarily to gather financial data, obtain their input on proposed compensation programs, establish mechanisms for implementing and monitoring incentive and performance targets, and gather other information on practices and packages for our Named Executive Officers, other employees, and directors.

Management may make recommendations to the Compensation Committee on some or all components of compensation. The Compensation Committee considers, but is not bound to, and does not always accept, management’s recommendations with respect to these matters. The Compensation Committee has the ultimate

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authority to make decisions and recommendations to the Board with respect to the compensation of our Named Executive Officers and does not delegate any of its compensation functions to others. The Compensation Committee determines the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer that should be recommended to the Board, without any recommendation from management.

Competitive Positioning

In developing, reviewing, and approving the annual compensation for our Named Executive Officers, other than Mr. Ahmad, our Interim Chief Financial Officer, who is serving on a consulting basis as an employee of FLG Partners, LLC, who we have engaged to provide us with an interim chief financial officer on November 15, 2019, the Compensation Committee, with the assistance of its compensation consultant, develops and maintains the Peer Group of public companies from which to gather competitive market data. After consulting with Compensia, the Compensation Committee approved the following set of selection criteria for determining the companies to comprise the compensation Peer Group:

In October 2018, in connection with the development of additional compensation assessments that the Compensation Committee requested related to executive compensation and our 2019 Named Executive Officer compensation levels, the Compensation Committee, after consulting with Compensia, updated the Peer Group based on the selection criteria referenced above to include the following companies:

Executive Compensation Actions

Effective January 4, 2019, Mr. Richey assumed duties as the Company’s Interim President and Chief Executive Officer when our then President and Chief Executive Officer, James A. Reinstein, resigned. Effective July 8, 2019, David H. Mowry became the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Richey was appointed full-time President. Effective November 15, 2019, the Company retained Fuad Ahmad as Interim Chief Financial Officer on a consulting basis as an employee of FLG Partners, LLC, who we have engaged to provide us with an interim chief financial officer, when our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Sandra A. Gardiner, resigned. Included in our Compensation Discussion and Analysis (“CD&A”) below is a discussion relating to our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Mowry, our former Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Reinstein, our Interim Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Ahmad, our former Chief Financial Officer, Ms. Gardiner, as well as our President and Former Chief Operating Officer and Former Interim Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Richey, during fiscal year 2019.

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Leading up to and during 2019, our Compensation Committee, after consultation with the Committee’s compensation consultant, re-evaluated the compensation of some of our Named Executive Officers and recommended the following modifications to their compensation arrangements, which our Board approved:

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The Compensation Committee concluded that the changes to the compensation of our Named Executive Officers strengthened the alignment of their interests with those of our stockholders, were sufficient to maintain competitiveness with the executives in comparable positions at the companies in our Peer Group, promoted retention and achieved the motivation and continuity desired. Further, the Compensation Committee also took into consideration the fact that, consistent with our compensation objectives, the equity awards granted increased our Named Executive Officers’ stake in the Company, thereby reinforcing their incentive to manage our business as owners and subject a significant portion of their total compensation to fluctuations in the market price of our common stock in alignment with stockholder interests.

Compensation Components

Our Named Executive Officers, other than Mr. Ahmad, our Interim Chief Financial Officer, who is serving on a consulting basis as an employee of FLG Partners, LLC and who we engaged to provide us with an interim chief financial officer on November 15, 2019, are compensated with cash, equity and non-equity incentives, and other customary employee benefits.

Cash Compensation

Cash compensation consists of:

Our cash compensation goals for our Named Executive Officers are based upon a myriad of principles, including:

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Base Salary and Total Target Cash Compensation

Total target cash compensation for our Named Executive Officers in 2019 included their annual base salary and annual target bonus opportunity (described below).

Discretionary Management Bonus Program

In addition to base salary, we provided each of Mr. Mowry and Mr. Richey a cash bonus under our Management Bonus Program earned in 2019. Until 2018, the cash bonuses payable were determined quarterly based on the Company’s performance for the then-preceding quarter assessed against annual targets. Payments under the Management Bonus Program were made quarterly and at the discretion of our Compensation Committee. Effective in 2019, because the Management Bonus Program is based on corporate performance measures that align the bonus payment with the achievement of specified annual operating goals, the Compensation Committee revised the structure of the Management Bonus Program payments to more appropriately reflect its intent, as well as to more closely align with our peers’ practices. Effective in 2019, the Management Bonus Program payment was made following the end of the fiscal year in which the bonus is earned, rather than on a quarterly basis. During 2018, designated as a “transitional year,” a Management Bonus Program payment was made following our second fiscal quarter. The payment was based on the then-preceding half year performance and annualized. The payment reflected only 75% of the half-year calculated payment with the intent that a “true-up” would occur at the completion of the fiscal year.

Special Retention Bonus

We adopted a special retention bonus program for Mr. Richey, Ms. Gardiner, and other select members of our senior management in 2019. Each participant, including Mr. Richey and Ms. Gardiner, were eligible to be paid a cash bonus equal to 20% of the executive’s annual base salary with 50% being paid if the executive remained employed through July 15, 2019, and the other 50% paid if the executive remained employed through January 15, 2020.

Target Bonus Opportunities

For 2019, the target bonuses were designed to reward our Named Executive Officers (other than Mr. Ahmad) based on the Company’s overall financial performance and were established after the Compensation Committee

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consulted with the compensation consultant. As in prior years, the Compensation Committee determined that the target bonus for the Named Executive Officers should be determined as a percentage of their base salary. The target bonus opportunity is reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee and is based on several factors, including the scope of the Named Executive Officers’ performance, contributions, responsibilities, experience, prior years’ target cash bonus and market conditions.

In 2019, the Compensation Committee established the target bonus opportunity for Mr. Reinstein at 100% of his base salary, Mr. Mowry at 80% of his base salary, Mr. Richey at 75% of his base salary, and maintained the target bonus opportunity for Ms. Gardiner at 50% of her base salary. Mr. Ahmad is not eligible to participate in the management bonus program.

Corporate Performance Measures

For 2019, based on recommendations from the Compensation Committee, the Board established for 2019 the corporate performance measures for determining the bonuses payable to the Named Executive Officers as follows:

The Board believed that these corporate performance measures continue to align the bonus payment with the achievement of the Company’s annual operating goals and enhancing long-term stockholder value creation. The metrics were measured on a non-GAAP basis and compared against the Board-approved budgeted amount.

The Compensation Committee weighted each performance measure as set forth above, such that the given percentage of the bonus was “at risk” based on the level of achievement of the specific performance measure. Performance achievement of each of the specific performance measures was based on a sliding scale with the minimum achievement for any payout set at 90% of the individual performance measure, and the potential for “over-achievement” capped at 200% as set forth in the tables below:

For fiscal year 2019, the bonus opportunity, and the amount actually earned by Named Executive Officers, was as follows:

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Long-Term Incentive Program

We believe that equity-based compensation promotes and encourages long-term successful performance by our Named Executive Officers that is aligned with the organization’s goals and the generation of stockholder value. Our equity compensation goals for our Named Executive Officers are based upon the following principles:

Equity Incentive Compensation

Under our 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, we are permitted to grant stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock (RSAs), restricted stock units (RSUs), performance stock awards (PSUs), and other stock or cash-based awards as determined by the Board. Under the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, we generally grant RSUs and PSUs to our executive officers, directors and employees. The grant date for RSUs and PSUs to our employees, Named Executive Officers and directors is typically the date that the Board meets and approves the grant or an approval is sought via a unanimous written consent. We typically grant annual equity awards to Named Executive Officers and certain members of management in January of each year, with a vest date of January 1. Our non-employee directors are granted restricted stock annually on the date of our Annual Meeting of Stockholders that vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date. Aside from our annual equity awards practices, in 2018 the Compensation Committee of the Board implemented a practice whereby equity awards to new and recently hired or promoted employees would be awarded once each quarter (the 15 ^th day of March, June, September, and December) with the grant date fair value to be calculated as of the date of the award.

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Our Compensation Committee awarded the following equity awards to our Named Executive Officers in fiscal year 2019:

Performance Stock Unit Awards:

In January 2019, our Board, upon the recommendation of our Compensation Committee, granted Performance Stock Unit (“PSU”) awards to our Named Executive Officers and other members of management, and established the performance metrics. The number of PSUs awarded to the Named Executive Officers resulted in a varying number of shares of common stock that vested on January 1, 2020 based on the achievement of the specified, binary performance metrics set forth below, and subject to the recipient continuing to provide service to the Company through the vesting date. The PSU awards represent the aggregate number of shares that could have been earned from achievement of the performance metrics approved by the Board.

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The following table sets forth the number of shares of common stock that actually vested for our Named Executive Officers on January 1, 2020, subject to the Board’s affirmative finding that the performance criteria were met based on the level of achievement (or failure to achieve) each of the performance targets discussed below, and upon the Company filing its Annual Report on Form 10-K:

Number of Shares of Performance-Based Common Stock that Vested on January 1, 2020

Benefits

We provide the following benefits to our Named Executive Officers (other than Mr. Ahmad) generally on the same basis as the benefits provided to all employees. These benefits are consistent with those offered by other companies and specifically with those companies with which we compete for employees:

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Employee Stock Purchase Plan

We maintain a 2004 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) that provides eligible employees with the opportunity to purchase shares of our common stock at a 15% discounted price to the lower of the fair market value at either the beginning or the end of the applicable offering period.

Post-Employment Compensation

Except for COC Agreements, we do not have employment agreements with any of our Named Executive Officers. We have Change of Control and Severance Agreements with each of our Named Executive Officers, except for Fuad Ahmad, our Interim Chief Financial Officer. The purpose of these agreements is to provide incentives to our Named Executive Officers to continue their employment with the Company and not be distracted by the possibility of loss of employment as a result of an acquisition of the Company or for other reasons. For a summary of the material terms and conditions of these COC Agreements, see Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control below.

Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m) and Limitations on Executive Compensation

Section 162(m) of the Code generally disallows public companies a tax deduction for federal income tax purposes of remuneration in excess of $1 million paid to the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and each of the three other most highly-compensated executive officers in any taxable year.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The new law expands the types of compensation subject to the $1 million limitation under Section 162(m) of the Code to include compensation that was previously deductible as “performance based compensation” and to also now include the chief financial officer as a covered employee. In addition, the new rule expands the definition of a “covered employee” to include any individuals who have previously been a covered employee for any years after December 31, 2016.

The Compensation Committee believes that, in establishing the cash and equity incentive compensation plans and arrangements for our executive officers, the potential deductibility of the compensation payable under those plans and arrangements should be only one of a number of relevant factors taken into consideration, and not the sole governing factor. For that reason, the Compensation Committee may deem it appropriate to provide one or more of our executive officers with the opportunity to earn incentive compensation, whether through cash incentive awards tied to our financial performance or equity incentive awards tied to the executive officer’s continued service, which may be in excess of the amount deductible by reason of Section 162(m) or other provisions of the Code.

The Compensation Committee believes it is important to maintain cash and equity incentive compensation at the requisite level to attract and retain the individuals essential to our financial success, even if all or part of that compensation may not be deductible by reason of the Section 162(m) limitation.

Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation

We follow Financial Accounting Standard Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (“ASC 718”) for our stock-based compensation awards. ASC 718 requires companies to measure the compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees and directors, including stock options, based on the grant date “fair value” of these awards. This calculation is performed for accounting purposes and reported in the compensation tables below, even though our executive officers may never realize any value from their awards. ASC Topic 718 also requires companies to recognize the compensation cost of their stock-based awards in their income statements over the period that an employee is required to render service in exchange for the award.

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Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans

Our stockholders have approved each of our equity compensation plans, which are as follows:

The following table provides information regarding the shares of Cutera common stock that may be issued upon the exercise of stock options, RSUs, PSUs, and the projected ESPP contributions under our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2019.

Other Compensation Practices and Policies

Stock Ownership Guidelines

To enhance our overall corporate governance practices and executive compensation program, our Board adopted Stock Ownership Guidelines on July 28, 2017 for our officers (as defined by Rule 16a-1(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) (“Executives”). The Stock Ownership Guidelines were amended and restated in their entirety by Amended and Restated Stock Ownership Guidelines adopted by our Board on June 11, 2019, which the Compensation Committee intends to review annually. These guidelines are designed to align our executive officers’ interests with our stockholders’ long-term interests by promoting long-term ownership of our common stock, which our Board believes reduces the incentive for excessive short-term risk taking. These guidelines provide that our Chief Executive Officer and our other Executives must hold shares of our common stock having a value not less than three times and one time, respectively, of their annual salary. Each Executive has five years from the date of his or her appointment, or if an Executive at the time of the adoption of the Stock Ownership Guidelines, four years from the adoption of the Stock Ownership Guidelines (July 28, 2017), to attain such level of ownership. Additionally, our Executives must hold at least 50% of any shares received pursuant to stock options, stock appreciation rights, vested restricted stock awards, restricted stock units, performance shares or performance units (net of taxes) for a minimum of one year following vesting and delivery.

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As of April 1, 2020, the current Named Executive Officers’ holdings and targeted guidelines were as follows:

Insider Trading Compliance Program

According to our Insider Trading Compliance Program, no employee of the Company, including, but not limited to, our executive officers and directors, may invest in derivatives of the Company’s securities. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, trading in put or call options related to securities of the Company or otherwise hedging or offsetting any decrease in the market value of securities.

Clawback Policy

Our Clawback Policy, which covers all Named Executive Officers, allows for recovery of performance-based compensation if a Named Executive Officer’s intentional misconduct:

The compensation elements that are subject to recovery under this policy include:

All recoveries are determined in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee.

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2019 Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth summary compensation information for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 for our Named Executive Officers.