For fiscal 2026, the salaries of Mr. E. Grinberg, Ms. DeMarsilis and Mr. Soltani were left unchanged, and the salaries of Mr. Sussis and Ms. Kennedy were each increased by two percent. As a result, the fiscal 2026 salaries of the NEOs were as follows: $1,300,000 for Mr. E. Grinberg, $672,750 for Ms. DeMarsilis, $621,000 for Mr. Soltani, $475,065 for Mr. Sussis and $475,065 for Ms. Kennedy.
Annual Incentive Compensation Program
The Company’s annual incentive compensation program is governed by the Annual Incentive Compensation Plan (“AICP”), in which all bonus-eligible employees (including the NEOs) participate. For fiscal 2026, the Committee set the target annual incentive payments for Mr. E. Grinberg at 150% of his base salary; for Ms. DeMarsilis at 75% of her base salary; for Mr. Soltani at 75% of his base salary; for Mr. Sussis at 50% of his base salary; and for Ms. Kennedy at 50% of her base salary. These percentages were unchanged from fiscal 2025. The Committee determines the target bonus for each NEO by exercising its judgment of what an appropriate percentage is, informed by a consideration of such person’s total compensation compared to target bonus levels and total compensation payable to other executive officers in other positions within the Company and relative to similar executive positions in the competitive marketplace.
The fiscal 2026 AICP was established in the spring of 2025 in connection with the Company’s internal budgeting process. There was significant economic uncertainty at that time as a result of various macroeconomic factors, including tariff announcements by the Trump Administration, the threat of an international trade war and its potential impact on economies worldwide, and declining consumer sentiment. At that time, the Committee determined that, given the elevated level of economic uncertainty, it would be impracticable to establish meaningful pre-set financial performance metrics for the fiscal 2026 AICP. Accordingly, the Committee adopted a discretionary approach to annual incentive compensation for fiscal 2026 in order to preserve flexibility and promote fairness in evaluating performance. In implementing this approach, the Committee determined that the use of informed judgment would allow for a more comprehensive and balanced assessment of Company performance than a purely formulaic framework.
Following the close of the fiscal year, the Committee conducted a comprehensive, retrospective evaluation of the Company’s performance, taking into account a broad range of financial and operational factors, including revenue growth, profitability, cash flow generation, balance sheet strength, total shareholder return, execution against strategic and operational priorities, and the impact of external factors such as tariffs and foreign currency fluctuations. The Committee believes that this approach enabled AICP outcomes to more accurately reflect the overall performance of the business and management’s execution in a dynamic operating environment.
For fiscal 2026, the Company delivered strong financial results, including net sales of $671.3 million (an increase of 2.7% year-over-year) and operating income of $29.8 million (an increase of 49.0% year-over-year), despite headwinds from incremental U.S. tariffs and unfavorable foreign currency movements. Operating income was also closely aligned with the Company’s internal budget of $30 million. In addition, the Company generated $57.9 million in net cash from operating activities and ended the year with $230.5 million in cash and no debt.
In addition to corporate performance, the Committee also considers individual performance in determining the amount of each NEO’s bonus payment under the AICP. There is no specific relative weight given by the Committee to the corporate performance of the Company as compared to the individual performance of any NEO. The Committee determines the amount of each NEO’s annual incentive payment regardless of the extent to which any of the performance criteria (individual or corporate) are met. However, the Committee does, in practice, take into account these criteria, including individual performance. In considering individual performance, the Committee is briefed by, and relies on a general summary assessment and recommendation provided by, the Company’s CEO and/or Chief Human Resources Officer relative to the performance of the NEOs (other than the CEO). That summary assessment and recommendation addresses the individual performance goals of the NEO as well as his or her overall performance. When it considers the individual performance of the CEO in determining the annual incentive payment to be made to him, the Committee considers the CEO’s individual performance goals, the performance of the business viewed holistically and the economic context relevant to the performance.
After considering all relevant factors, the Committee determined to award annual incentive bonuses to each executive officer at 90% of his or her target for fiscal 2026. The Committee believes that these payouts appropriately reflect the Company’s strong performance while maintaining alignment with shareholder interests.