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 (Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

American Outdoor Brands, 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):

Table of Contents

Voting And Other Matters

General

The enclosed proxy is being solicited on behalf of American Outdoor Brands, Inc., a Delaware corporation, by our Board of Directors (Board) for use at our Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on Monday, September 28, 2026, or at any adjournment or postponement thereof, for the purposes set forth in this proxy statement and in the accompanying notice. The Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be a virtual meeting. You will be able to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders during the live webcast of the meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AOUT2026 and entering the 16-digit control number included on your proxy card or in the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials.

These proxy solicitation materials were first released on or about August 14, 2026 to all stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting To Be Held on September 28, 2026. These proxy materials, which include the notice of annual meeting, this proxy statement, and our 2026 Annual Report for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, are available at www.proxyvote.com.

How the Board of Directors Recommends That You Vote

The Board of Directors recommends that you vote as follows:

Stockholders Entitled to Vote; Record Date; How to Vote

Stockholders of record at the close of business on August 3, 2026, which we have set as the record date, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting. On the record date, there were outstanding 12,618,869 shares of our common stock. Each stockholder voting at the meeting, either electronically during the meeting or by proxy, may cast one vote per share of common stock held on all matters to be voted on at the meeting.

If, on August 3, 2026, your shares were registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Equiniti, then you are a stockholder of record. As a stockholder of record, you may vote electronically during the meeting. Alternatively, as a stockholder of record, you may vote by proxy over the Internet as instructed on the enclosed proxy card, by mail by filling out and returning the accompanying proxy card, or by telephone as instructed on the enclosed proxy card. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, we urge you to vote by proxy over the Internet as instructed on the enclosed proxy card, by mail by filling out and returning the enclosed proxy card, or by telephone as instructed on the enclosed proxy card to ensure your vote is counted. Even if you have submitted a proxy before the meeting, you may still attend the meeting and vote electronically during the meeting.

If, on August 3, 2026, your shares were held in an account at a brokerage firm, bank, or similar organization, then you are the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name” and these proxy materials are being forwarded to you by that organization. The organization holding your account is considered the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the meeting. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker, bank, or other nominee on how to vote the shares in your account. You should have received voting instructions with these proxy materials from that organization rather than from us. You should follow the instructions provided by that organization to submit your proxy. You are also invited to attend the meeting. However, since you are not the stockholder of record, you may not attend the meeting electronically or vote your shares electronically during the meeting unless you obtain a “legal proxy” from the broker, bank, or other nominee that holds your shares giving you the right to attend and to vote the shares at the meeting.

How to Attend the Meeting; Asking Questions

You are entitled to attend the meeting only if you were a stockholder of record at the close of business on August 3, 2026, which we have set as the record date, or you hold a valid proxy for the meeting. You may attend the meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AOUT2026 and using your 16-digit control number included on your proxy card or in the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials to enter the meeting. If, on August 3, 2026, your shares were held in an account at a brokerage firm, bank, or similar organization, then you are the beneficial owner of shares held in “street name,” and you will be required to provide proof of beneficial ownership, such as your most recent account statement as of the record date, a copy of the voting instruction form provided by your broker, bank, trustee, or nominee, or other similar evidence of ownership. If you do not comply with the procedures outlined above, you will not be admitted to the virtual annual meeting.

Stockholders who wish to submit a question for the meeting may do so live during the meeting at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/AOUT2026.

Quorum

The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote on the record date constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business at the meeting. Votes cast electronically during the meeting or by proxy at the meeting will be tabulated by the election inspector appointed for the meeting, who will determine whether a quorum is present.

Required Vote

Assuming that a quorum is present, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast will be required for the election of each of Barry M. Monheit, Bradley T. Favreau, Mary E. Gallagher, Gregory J. Gluchowski, Jr., Kevin D. Leary, Luis G. Marconi, and Brian D. Murphy; to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as the independent registered public accountant of the Company for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2027; to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers for fiscal year 2026, as disclosed in this proxy statement; and to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the frequency of future say-on-pay votes.

Broker Non-Votes and Abstentions

Brokers, banks, or other nominees that hold shares of common stock in “street name” for a beneficial owner of those shares typically have the authority to vote in their discretion if permitted by the stock exchange or other organization of which they are members. Brokers, banks, and other nominees are permitted to vote the beneficial owner’s proxy in their own discretion as to certain “routine” proposals when they have not received instructions from the beneficial owner, such as the ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the independent registered public accountant of the Company for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2027. If a broker, bank, or other nominee votes such “uninstructed” shares for or against a “routine” proposal, those shares will be counted towards determining whether or not a quorum is present and are considered entitled to vote on the “routine” proposals. However, where a proposal is not “routine,” such as the election of directors, the approval, on a non-binding advisory basis, of the compensation paid to the Company's named executive officers, and the approval, on a non-binding advisory basis, of the frequency of future say-on-pay votes, a broker, bank, or other nominee is not permitted to exercise its voting discretion on that proposal without specific instructions from the beneficial owner. These non-voted shares are referred to as “broker non-votes” when the nominee has voted on other non-routine matters with authorization or voted on routine matters. These shares will be counted towards determining whether or not a quorum is present, but will not be considered entitled to vote on the “non-routine” proposals.

Please note that brokers, banks, and other nominees may not use discretionary authority to vote shares on the election of directors if they have not received specific instructions from their clients. For your vote to be counted in the election of directors, you will need to communicate your voting decisions to your broker, bank, or other nominee before the date of the meeting.

As provided in our bylaws, a majority of the votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a nominee for election to our Board of Directors, the proposal to ratify the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the independent registered public accountant of the Company for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2027, the approval, on a non-binding advisory basis, of the compensation paid to the Company's named executive officers, or the approval, on a non-binding advisory basis, of the frequency of future say-on-pay votes, exceeds the number of shares voted “against” such nominee or proposal and does not include abstentions and broker non-votes. Because abstentions and broker non-votes do not represent votes cast “for” or “against” a proposal, under our bylaws or Delaware law, abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will have no effect on the four proposals submitted to stockholders' vote at the Annual Meeting, as each such proposal is determined by reference to the votes actually cast by the shares present in person or by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote.

In accordance with our director resignation policy, an incumbent director who does not receive the requisite majority of votes cast in an uncontested election is expected to submit his or her offer of resignation to our Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors, upon

recommendation of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee, will make a determination as to whether to accept or reject the offered resignation within 90 days after the stockholder vote. A director whose offered resignation is under consideration will abstain from any decision or recommendation regarding the offered resignation, but will otherwise continue to serve as a director until our Board of Directors makes its determination regarding the offered resignation. We will publicly disclose our Board of Directors’ decision regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the decision in a filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC.

Voting of Proxies

When a proxy is properly executed and returned, the shares it represents will be voted at the meeting as directed. Except as provided above under “Broker Non-Votes and Abstentions,” if no specification is indicated, the shares will be voted (1) “for” the election of each of Barry M. Monheit, Bradley T. Favreau, Mary E. Gallagher, Gregory J. Gluchowski, Jr., Kevin D. Leary, Luis G. Marconi, and Brian D. Murphy; (2) “for” the ratification of the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as the independent registered public accountant of the Company for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2027; (3) "for" the approval, on a non-binding, advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers; and (4) the approval, on a non-binding, advisory basis, of the frequency of one year for future say-on-pay votes. If any other matter is properly presented at the meeting, the individuals specified in the proxy will vote your shares in their discretion.

Revocability of Proxies

Any stockholder of record giving a proxy may revoke the proxy at any time before its use by delivering to us either a written notice of revocation or a duly executed proxy bearing a later date or by attending the meeting and voting electronically during the meeting (as provided under “Stockholders Entitled to Vote; Record Date; How to Vote”). Attendance at the meeting will not cause your previously granted proxy to be revoked unless you specifically so request.

Solicitation

We will bear the cost of this solicitation. In addition, we may reimburse brokerage firms and other persons representing beneficial owners of shares for expenses incurred in forwarding solicitation materials to such beneficial owners. Proxies also may be solicited by certain of our directors and officers, personally or by telephone or e-mail, without additional compensation.

Annual Report and Other Matters

Our 2026 Annual Report to Stockholders, which was made available to stockholders with or preceding this proxy statement, contains financial and other information about the Company, but is not incorporated into this proxy statement and is not to be considered a part of these proxy materials or subject to Regulations 14A or 14C or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. The information contained in the “Report of the Audit Committee” shall not be deemed “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulations 14A or 14C or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act.

A copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, including the financial statements and the financial statement schedules, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission will be provided without charge to any stockholder upon written request. Any exhibits listed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K also will be furnished upon request at the actual expense we incur in furnishing such exhibits. Any such requests should be directed to our Secretary at our principal executive office, 1800 North Route Z, Columbia, MO 65202.

Proposal One – Election of Directors

Nominees

Our bylaws provide that the number of directors shall be not less than three nor more than twelve, the exact number of directors to be determined from time to time by resolution of our Board of Directors. The size of the Board is currently limited to seven directors.

Consistent with the requirements of our governance documents and upon the recommendation of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee, our Board of Directors has nominated each of Barry M. Monheit, Bradley T. Favreau, Mary E. Gallagher, Gregory J. Gluchowski, Jr., Kevin D. Leary, Luis G. Marconi, and Brian D. Murphy for election for a new term as a director at the 2026 Annual Meeting. Each director will serve until the election and qualification of such director’s successor at the next annual meeting of stockholders or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification, or removal.

Unless otherwise instructed, the proxy holders will vote the proxies received by them “for” each of the nominees listed below. Each of the nominees currently is a director of the Company. In the event that any nominee is unable or declines to serve as a director at the time of the meeting, the proxies will be voted for any nominee designated by our current Board of Directors to fill the vacancy. It is not expected that any of the nominees will be unable or will decline to serve as a director.

Our Board of Directors Unanimously Recommends that Stockholders Vote "For" Each of the Nominees.

The following table sets forth the director nominees to be voted on at the meeting and certain information about them, including their ages as of the date of this Proxy Statement:

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

Committee Memberships

The following table sets forth the current committee memberships:

Board of Directors

Set forth below is biographical information for the director nominees and each person whose term of office as a director will continue after the 2026 Annual Meeting.

Corporate Governance

Director Independence

Our Board of Directors has determined, after considering all of the relevant facts and circumstances, that Messrs. Monheit, Favreau, Gluchowski, Leary, and Marconi, and Ms. Gallagher are independent directors, as “independence” is defined by the listing standards of the Nasdaq Stock Market, or Nasdaq, and by the SEC, because they have no relationship with us that would interfere with their exercise of independent judgment in carrying out their responsibilities as a director. Mr. Murphy is an employee director.

Committee Charters, Corporate Governance Guidelines, and Codes

Our Board of Directors has adopted charters for the Audit, Compensation, and Nominations and Corporate Governance Committees describing the authority and responsibilities delegated to each by our Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors has also adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines, a Code of Conduct, and a Code of Ethics for the CEO and Senior Financial Officers. We post on our website, at AOB.com, the charters of our Audit, Compensation, and Nominations and Corporate Governance Committees; our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Conduct, and Code of Ethics for the CEO and Senior Financial Officers, and any amendments or waivers thereto; and any other corporate governance materials specified by SEC or Nasdaq regulations. These documents are also available in print to any stockholder requesting a copy in writing from our Secretary at the address of our executive offices set forth in this proxy statement.

Executive Sessions

We regularly schedule executive sessions in which independent directors meet without the presence or participation of management. The Chairman of our Board of Directors serves as the presiding director of such executive sessions.

Board Structure

In accordance with our bylaws, there is no classification of the members of the Board of Directors, and each director will serve until the election and qualification of such director’s successor at the next annual meeting of stockholders or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification, or removal.

Board Committees

Our bylaws authorize our Board of Directors to appoint from among its members one or more committees consisting of one or more directors. Our Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, and a Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee, each consisting entirely of independent directors as “independence” is defined by the listing standards of Nasdaq and by the SEC.

The Audit Committee

The purpose of the Audit Committee includes overseeing the financial and reporting processes of the Company and the audits of the financial statements of the Company and providing assistance to our Board of Directors with respect to its oversight of the integrity of the financial statements of the Company, the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory matters, the independent registered public accountant’s qualifications and independence, and the performance of the Company’s independent registered public accountant. The primary responsibilities of the Audit Committee are set forth in its charter and include various matters with respect to the oversight of the Company’s accounting and financial reporting process and audits of the financial statements of the Company on behalf of our Board of Directors. The Audit Committee also selects the independent registered public accountant to conduct the annual audit of the financial statements of the Company; reviews the proposed scope of such audit; reviews accounting and financial controls of the Company with the independent registered public accountant and our financial accounting staff; and reviews and approves any transactions between us and our directors, officers, and their affiliates, also referred to as related-person transactions.

The Audit Committee currently consists of Ms. Gallagher and Messrs. Gluchowski, and Marconi. Our Board of Directors has determined that each of Ms. Gallagher and Messrs. Gluchowski, and Marconi, whose backgrounds are described above, qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” in accordance with applicable rules and regulations of the SEC. Ms. Gallagher chairs the Audit Committee.

The Compensation Committee

The purpose of the Compensation Committee includes determining, or, when appropriate, recommending to our Board of Directors for determination, the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers of the Company and discharging the responsibilities of our Board of Directors relating to compensation programs of the Company. The Compensation Committee currently makes all decisions with respect to executive compensation. The Compensation Committee currently consists of Messrs. Favreau, Gluchowski, Leary, and Monheit. Mr. Gluchowski chairs the Compensation Committee.

Among other things, the Compensation Committee, with advice from its independent compensation consultant, determines and approves the compensation program for our Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers. The Compensation Committee, with advice from its independent compensation consultant, also determines the compensation of the non-employee members of our Board of Directors.

The Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee

The purpose of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee includes the selection or recommendation to our Board of Directors of nominees to stand for election as directors at each election of directors, the oversight of the selection and composition of committees of our Board of Directors, the oversight of the evaluations of our Board of Directors and management, and the development and recommendation to our Board of Directors of corporate governance principles applicable to the Company. The Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee currently consists of Messrs. Favreau, Gluchowski, Leary, Marconi, and Monheit, and Ms. Gallagher. Mr. Marconi currently serves as the chair of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee. Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee will consider persons recommended by stockholders for inclusion as nominees for election to our Board of Directors if the information required by our bylaws is submitted in writing in a timely manner addressed and delivered to our Secretary at the address of our executive offices set forth in this proxy statement. The Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee identifies and evaluates nominees for our Board of Directors, including nominees recommended by stockholders, based on numerous factors it considers appropriate, some of which may include strength of character, mature judgment, career specialization, relevant technical skills, diversity, and the extent to which the nominee would fill a present need on our Board of Directors.

Risk Assessment of Compensation Policies and Practices

We have assessed the compensation policies and practices with respect to our employees, including our executive officers, and have concluded that they do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

Risk is inherent in every business. As is the case in virtually all businesses, we face a number of risks, including operational, economic, financial, legal, regulatory, and competitive risks. Our management is responsible for the day-to-day management of the risks we face. Our Board of Directors, as a whole and through its committees, has responsibility for the oversight of risk management.

In its oversight role, our Board of Directors’ involvement in our business strategy and strategic plans plays a key role in its oversight of risk management, its assessment of management’s risk appetite, and its determination of the appropriate level of enterprise risk. Our Board of Directors receives updates at least quarterly from senior management and periodically from outside advisors regarding the various risks we face, including operational, economic, financial, legal, regulatory, and competitive risks. Our Board of Directors also reviews the various risks we identify in our filings with the SEC as well as risks relating to various specific developments, such as acquisitions, securities repurchases, debt and equity placements, and product introductions. In addition, our Board of Directors regularly receives reports from our Managing Attorney.

Our Board committees assist our Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight role in certain areas of risk. Pursuant to its charter, the Audit Committee oversees our financial and reporting processes and the audit of our financial statements and provides assistance to our Board of Directors with respect to the oversight and integrity of our financial statements, our compliance with legal and regulatory matters, the independent registered public accountant’s qualification and independence, and the performance of our independent registered public accountant. The Compensation Committee considers the risk that our compensation policies and practices may have in attracting, retaining, and motivating valued employees and endeavors to assure that it is not reasonably likely that our compensation plans and policies would have a material adverse effect on Company. Our Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee oversees governance related risk, such as Board independence, conflicts of interest of members of the Board of Directors and executive officers, and management and succession planning.

Board Composition

We seek diversity in experience, viewpoint, education, skill, and other individual qualities and attributes to be represented on our Board of Directors. We believe directors should have various qualifications, including individual character and integrity; business experience; leadership ability; strategic planning skills, ability, and experience; requisite knowledge of our industry and finance, accounting, and legal matters; communications and interpersonal skills; and the ability and willingness to devote time to the Company. We also believe the skill sets, backgrounds, and qualifications of our directors, taken as a whole, should provide a significant mix of diversity in personal and professional experience, background, viewpoints, perspectives, knowledge, and abilities. Nominees are not to be discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or any other basis proscribed by law. The assessment of prospective directors is made in the context of the perceived needs of our Board of Directors from time to time.

All of our directors have held senior-level positions in business or professional service firms and have experience in dealing with complex issues. We believe that all of our directors are individuals of high character and integrity, are able to work well with others, and have committed to devote sufficient time to the business and affairs of the Company. In addition to these attributes, the description of each director’s background set forth above indicates the specific qualifications, skills, perspectives, and experience necessary to conclude that each individual should continue to serve as a director of the Company.

Board Leadership Structure

We believe that effective board leadership structure can depend on the experience, skills, and personal interaction between persons in leadership roles as well as the needs of the Company at any point in time. Our Corporate Governance Guidelines support flexibility in the structure of our Board of Directors by not requiring the separation of the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board.

We currently maintain separate roles between the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board in recognition of the differences between the two responsibilities. Our Chief Executive Officer is responsible for setting our strategic direction and day-to-day leadership and performance of the Company. The Chairman of the Board provides input to the Chief Executive Officer, sets the agenda for Board meetings, and presides over meetings of the full Board of Directors as well as executive sessions of the Board of Directors.

Additionally, our Board:

Our website (https://ir.aob.com/corporate-governance/governance-overview) contains our Board committee charters, as well as additional information on our government related policies.

Director and Officer Derivative Trading and Hedging

We have a policy prohibiting our directors and officers, including our executive officers, and any family member residing in the same household, from engaging in derivatives trading and hedging involving our securities or pledging or margining our common stock.

Stock Ownership Guidelines

We maintain stock ownership guidelines for our non-employee directors and executive officers. Our non-employee directors and executive officers are required to own shares of our common stock or share equivalents with a value equal to at least the lesser of the following:

Each individual has five years from the later of the date of adoption of these guidelines or the date of appointment of the individual as a director or an executive officer to achieve the required ownership levels. We believe that these guidelines promote the alignment of the long-term interests of our executive officers and members of our Board of Directors with those of our stockholders.

Stock ownership generally includes the shares directly owned by the individual (including any shares over which the individual has sole ownership, voting, or investment power); the number of shares owned by the individual’s minor children and spouse and by other related individuals and entities over whose shares the individual has custody, voting control, or power of disposition; shares underlying restricted stock units, or RSUs, that have vested and are deliverable or will be vested and deliverable within 60 days; shares underlying performance-based restricted stock units, or PSUs, that have vested but are not deliverable within 60 days if the performance requirements have been satisfied; and shares held in trust for the benefit of the individual or the individual’s immediate family members.

If an individual achieves the required ownership level on the first day of any fiscal year, the value of the individual’s stock ownership on that date will be converted into a number of shares to be maintained in the future by dividing the value of such stock ownership by the price of our common stock on the prior day, which is the last day of the preceding fiscal year.

The failure to satisfy the required ownership level may result in the ineligibility of the individual to receive stock-based compensation in the case of an executive officer or director or the inability to be a nominee for election to our Board of Directors in the case of a director.

Clawback Policy

We maintain a compensation recovery, or clawback policy. In the event we are required to prepare an accounting restatement of our financial results as a result of (1) a material noncompliance by us with any financial reporting requirement under the federal securities laws, or (2) the correction of an error that is not material to previously issued financial statements, but would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period (an "Accounting Restatement"). In the event of an Accounting Restatement, we are required to recover from certain current or former officers who received incentive compensation (whether cash or equity) from us during the three-year period preceding the date on which we were required to prepare the Accounting Restatement, any excess incentive compensation awarded as a result of the misstatement. This policy is administered by the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors.

During fiscal 2026, we were not required to record an Accounting Restatement.

Whistleblower Policy

We maintain a Whistleblower Policy covering the policies and procedures for (i) the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints that we receive regarding accounting, internal controls, or auditing matters; and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by our employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.

Insider Trading Policy

We maintain an Inside Information and Insider Trading Policy that governs the purchase, sale, and other dispositions of our securities by directors, officers, and employees and is reasonably designed to promote compliance with insider trading laws, rules, and regulations, as well as Nasdaq standards. In addition, with regard to our Company’s trading in our own securities, it is our policy to comply with the federal securities laws and the applicable Nasdaq listing requirements. A copy of our Insider Trading Policy is attached as Exhibit 19.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2026.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

During our fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, Messrs. Gluchowski, Favreau, and Monheit served on the Compensation Committee. None of these individuals had any material contractual or other relationships with us during such fiscal year except as directors. During our fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, none of our executive officers served on the compensation committee or board of directors of any entity whose executive officers serve as a member of our Board of Directors or Compensation Committee.

Board and Committee Meetings

Our Board of Directors held a total of ten meetings during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2026. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, the Audit Committee held four meetings, the Compensation Committee held twelve meetings, and the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee held five meetings. No director attended fewer than 75% of the aggregate of (i) the total number of meetings of our Board of Directors, and (ii) the total number of meetings held by all committees of our Board of Directors on which he or she was a member.

Annual Meeting Attendance

We encourage each of our directors to attend each annual meeting of stockholders. To that end, and to the extent reasonably practicable, we regularly attempt to schedule a meeting of our Board of Directors on the same day as our annual meeting of stockholders. All of our directors attended the 2025 Annual Meeting.

Majority Voting for Directors

In accordance with our director resignation policy, an incumbent director who does not receive the requisite majority of votes cast in an uncontested election is expected to submit his or her offer of resignation to our Board of Directors. Our Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee, will make a determination as to whether to accept or reject the offered resignation within 90 days after the stockholder vote. A director whose offered resignation is under consideration will abstain from any decision or recommendation regarding the offered resignation, but will otherwise continue to serve as a director until our Board of Directors makes its determination regarding the offered resignation. We will publicly disclose our Board of Directors’ decision regarding the tendered resignation and the rationale behind the decision in a filing of a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC.

Investor Engagement

Our relationship with our stockholders is an important part of our corporate governance commitment. We meet with a broad base of investors throughout the year to discuss strategy and other important matters, including executive compensation. We consider investor feedback on emerging issues, which allows us to better understand our stockholders’ priorities and perspectives. This year-round engagement process provides us with useful input concerning our corporate strategy, and enables us to consider developments proactively and to act responsibly.

Communications with Directors

Interested parties may communicate with our Board of Directors or specific members of our Board of Directors, including our independent directors and the members of our various Board committees, by submitting a letter addressed to the Board of Directors of American Outdoor Brands, Inc., c/o any specified individual director or directors, at the address of our executive offices set forth in this proxy statement. Any such letters will be sent to the indicated directors.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

We are an innovation company that provides product solutions for outdoor enthusiasts, including hunting, fishing, camping, target shooting, meat processing, outdoor cooking, and personal security and personal defense products. We focus on the establishment of product categories in which we believe our brands will resonate strongly with the activities and passions of our stakeholders. We strive to integrate sustainability principles into our business strategy in ways that advance our long-term goals, while optimizing opportunities to make positive impacts.

We aim to conduct our business in a safe, environmentally responsible, and sustainable manner that reflects our responsibilities to key stakeholders, including stockholders, employees, customers, and communities. We view this as a means to support the long-term stability and growth of our business and contribute to stakeholder value.

Environment

We address environmental risks across our operations by identifying and managing factors related to energy, pollution, resource use, and waste. Our environmental strategy is designed to reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, and support compliance with applicable regulations. Current priorities include:

We understand the importance of being responsible stewards of our planet’s resources and the importance of protecting it for our customers, communities, and employees. As a Smaller Reporting Company, we are in the early stages of assessing our environment-related risks and opportunities. So far, we have identified recycling, sustainable and recyclable product packaging, and energy management and usage as important components of driving sustainable outcomes. We value our position as a trusted supplier of outdoor products to a loyal consumer base that, we believe, shares our desire to minimize our collective impact on the environment when possible.

Our Environmental Management System is implemented across key facilities, and environmental inspections are conducted to ensure compliance. We also engage with suppliers who align with our sustainability standards, including our Supplier Code of Conduct, which outlines expectations for environmental awareness, ethical sourcing, and safe working conditions. As we expand operations, we remain focused on identifying efficiencies and maintaining a responsible supply chain that meets our compliance standards.

People

Our core values - honesty, respect, responsibility, discipline, collaboration, open-mindedness, and resourcefulness - are deeply intertwined with our culture, fostering an environment where integrity thrives, mutual support is encouraged, and innovative thinking is celebrated. As such, we have implemented policies and practices that promote integrity, transparency, and our values. We believe that creating a positive employee experience and being a responsible corporate citizen are essential to our long-term success. Our future depends on our ability to recruit, develop, and retain exceptional talent, and we value the unique perspectives and backgrounds of our nearly 270 employees. We support initiatives that enhance productivity, strengthen employee engagement, and build lasting customer relationships.

Our employees are essential to our success. Our efforts to attract, develop, and retain talent are reflected in several key initiatives:

The health and wellness of our employees is a top priority. In this regard, we aim to provide robust health and wellness employee benefits, including those related to the physical and mental well-being of our workforce. We continually evolve our benefit plans to remain competitive and to meet the needs of our workforce including medical benefits, paid parental leave, survivor benefits, disability coverage, a 401(k) program, on-site employee fitness center, employee assistance programs, and an employee stock purchase plan.

We strive to have a positive impact in the communities where we live and work - through charitable giving, educational sponsorships, and local development initiatives. We strengthen these communities by supporting employee volunteerism and actively participating in philanthropic efforts. Recent highlights include the following:

Risk Management

We maintain comprehensive risk management programs to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. We are also subject to rigorous controls and audits. Our risk management teams coordinate with subject-matter experts throughout the business to identify, monitor, and mitigate material risks.

We have a Written Information Security Program (“WISP”) to protect personal and proprietary information in compliance with applicable federal and state requirements. The WISP is designed to: ensure the security and confidentiality of personal information; protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of personal information; and protect against unauthorized access to or use of such personal information in a manner that creates a substantial risk of identity theft or fraud. We leverage industry leading identity, access, and encryption configurations and best practices cybersecurity technologies on our systems, devices, and third-party connections to ensure proper information security safeguards are maintained.

Executive Compensation

Compensation Philosophy

Our executive compensation program is designed to attract, retain, and motivate the executive talent necessary to execute our business strategy, deliver sustainable long-term growth, and create stockholder value. The Compensation Committee believes that the interests of our executive officers should be closely aligned with the interests of our stockholders and that a substantial portion of executive compensation should be “at risk” and contingent upon our performance.

The Compensation Committee’s guiding objectives in establishing our executive compensation program are to:

The Compensation Committee reviews the executive compensation program annually to ensure it remains aligned with our compensation philosophy, our strategic priorities, market best practices, and the interests of our stockholders. The Compensation Committee also considers feedback received from our stockholders in its decision-making process.

Elements of Compensation

Our executive compensation program is comprised of three primary elements: base salary, annual cash incentive compensation, and long-term equity incentive compensation. The Compensation Committee believes this mix appropriately balances fixed and variable compensation, short-term and long-term performance incentives, and Company and individual performance measures, thereby reinforcing our commitment to a performance-driven culture that creates sustainable value for our stockholders.

Base Salary

Base salary provides a fixed level of cash compensation to attract and retain experienced executive talent. The Compensation Committee generally establishes base salaries at levels competitive with those of executives in similar positions at companies within our peer group and the broader competitive market, taking into consideration:

Base salaries are reviewed annually, and adjustments, if any, are determined based on market competitiveness, individual performance, changes in responsibilities, and the overall budgetary framework approved by the Compensation Committee.

Annual Cash Incentive Compensation

Our annual cash incentive program is designed to reward achievement of pre-established financial, operational, and/or strategic objectives that support our annual operating plan. Key features include:

The Compensation Committee reviews and approves the performance goals, target cash bonus opportunities (established as a percentage of base salary), and payout scales at the beginning of each fiscal year and certifies performance results following the end of the year before approving any payouts.

Long-Term Equity Incentive Compensation

Long-term equity incentive awards are designed to link a significant portion of each executive officer’s target total direct compensation to long-term Company performance, promote retention, and align the interests of executives with stockholders. The Compensation Committee typically grants long-term incentives annually, with award values determined based on:

Awards are generally delivered in the form of time-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance-based restricted stock units (“PSUs”), although the Compensation Committee may also grant stock options or other equity instruments as appropriate.

The Compensation Committee believes that this balanced approach to long-term equity incentives appropriately aligns executive pay with stockholder value creation while supporting our long-term business objectives.

Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Compensation

The following tables and discussion relate to the compensation paid to or earned by Brian D. Murphy, our President and Chief Executive Officer; H. Andrew Fulmer, our Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer; and Brent Vulgamott, our Chief Operating Officer. Messrs. Murphy, Fulmer, and Vulgamott, are collectively referred to in this Proxy Statement as our “named executive officers.” Information provided in this section is provided pursuant to the scaled disclosure rules applicable to Smaller Reporting Companies under the requirements of the SEC, including reduced narrative and tabular disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.

Base Salary

For fiscal year 2026, the Compensation Committee incrementally increased the annual base salaries of our named executive officers as follows:

Annual Cash Incentive Bonuses

We maintain a performance-based annual cash incentive compensation plan for our named executive officers with pre-established performance objectives based primarily on our financial results, using Net Sales and Adjusted EBITDA as performance metrics. The amounts earned pursuant to the performance-based annual cash incentive compensation plan are calculated and paid to our named executive officers in the fiscal year following when they are earned. For fiscal 2026, the Compensation Committee weighted the metrics as follows: 50.0% for net sales and 50.0% for Adjusted EBITDA. These metrics were selected to align with the Company's strategic priorities.

The Compensation Committee set the target cash bonus opportunity for each of our named executive officers as a percentage of base salary, and that percentage remained unchanged from fiscal 2025. The table below sets forth for each named executive officer the fiscal 2026 base salary, the target bonus percentage, the annualized target cash bonus opportunity, and the actual bonus paid for fiscal 2026:

Performance Goals

The financial performance metrics established under the fiscal 2026 program were as follows:

The threshold metrics were at least $202.5 million, or 90.0% of Target, for the Net Sales metric and $10.1 million, or 54.1% of Target, for the Adjusted EBITDA metric. How the Company calculates Adjusted EBITDA can be found in Appendix A.

In fiscal 2026, Net Sales and Adjusted EBITDA*, for purposes of compensation, were $190.5 million and $10.2 million, respectively. The actual payout percentages for the Net Sales and Adjusted EBITDA metrics were 0% and 50.4% of the Target Bonus Percentage, respectively.

* See reconciliation in Appendix A

Long-Term Incentive Compensation

The stock-based awards granted to our named executive officers in fiscal 2026 consisted of a 50/50 mix of service-based RSUs and performance-based PSUs.

PSUs

During fiscal 2026, the Compensation Committee granted the following PSUs to our named executive officers:

The Compensation Committee updated the performance measures for the fiscal 2026 PSU awards to include internal performance metrics and removed the calculation of the relative performance of our common stock against the Russell 2000, or RUT, over the

approximately three-year performance period. The Compensation Committee approved this change in order to better align these long-term incentives with our strategic priorities, operational performance, and value creation drivers that are more directly influenced by management. These PSUs are earned and vest based on two internal performance metrics that include 1) a three-year cumulative Adjusted EBITDA (weighted 60%), and 2) a three-year average return on invested capital, or ROIC (weighted 40%). For purposes of the PSU awards, ROIC is calculated by dividing net operating profit after taxes ("NOPAT") by average invested capital over the applicable three-year performance period. NOPAT is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA, less stock-based compensation expense, less amortization (excluding amortization of acquired intangible assets), less depreciation, and less taxes. Average invested capital consists of average net working capital, property, plant and equipment, certain intangible assets, and certain other assets.

The following table summarizes the performance goals and corresponding payout opportunities applicable to each performance metric for the fiscal 2026 PSU awards:

For purposes of cumulative Adjusted EBITDA, the cumulative Adjusted EBITDA metric will be modified to include the expected results of an acquisition or exclude Adjusted EBITDA resulting from the Board-approved disposition of any business. For purposes of the ROIC metric, in the event of an acquisition, the effects on earnings and changes to capital resulting from the acquisition will be excluded from the ROIC calculation in the year of acquisition. In addition, the Compensation Committee also updated the vesting schedule for the fiscal 2026 RSU awards to vest over a three-year period, in order to maintain a competitive long-term incentive compensation program.

The underlying shares of our common stock earned, if any, related to these PSUs will be delivered on the ending date of the performance period (approximately three years from the date of grant). The named executive officer shall forfeit any then unvested PSUs in the event that the officer’s continuous service is terminated for any reason, except as otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion, which determination need not be uniform as to all officers. In the event of a change in control of the Company, as defined in our 2020 Incentive Compensation Plan, that occurs prior to the end of the performance period, the officer may earn the target number of PSUs, which will vest on the ending date of the performance period, subject to the officer’s continuous service through such date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we terminate a named executive officer without good cause or the officer resigns following an adverse change in control effect (as defined in the PSU award agreement), in either case during a potential change in control protection period or the change in control performance period (as defined in the PSU award agreement), the target number of PSUs will immediately vest.

PSUs awarded to our executive officers in fiscal 2024 and 2025 were earned and vest based on the relative performance of our common stock against the RUT over the approximately three-year period following the date of grant.

RSUs

During fiscal 2026, the Compensation Committee granted the following RSUs to our named executive officers:

One-third of the RSUs typically vest following each of the first, second, and third anniversaries of the date of grant. In the event that prior to final vesting, we terminate a named executive officer without good cause or the officer resigns following an adverse change in control effect (as defined in the RSU award agreement), in either case during a potential change in control protection period or change in control in control protection period (as such terms are defined in the RSU award agreement), all unvested RSUs will immediately vest. In all other cases, the named executive officer shall forfeit any then unvested RSUs in the event that the officer’s continuous service is

terminated for any reason, except as otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee in its sole discretion, which determination need not be uniform as to all officers.

Role of the Independent Compensation Consultant

The Compensation Committee has sole discretion to retain a compensation consultant and is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the work of the compensation consultant. The Compensation Committee retains a compensation consultant to assist in setting the design and goals of the executive compensation program, to review trends in executive compensation, to identify relevant peer companies, and to conduct an assessment and analysis of executive market compensation. The compensation consultant reports directly to the Compensation Committee.

Compensia, Inc. served as the Compensation Committee’s independent compensation consultant for fiscal 2026. For fiscal 2026, the compensation consultant identified for the Compensation Committee peer group companies, provided a competitive compensation assessment and analysis of those companies, determined the positioning of each named executive officer’s compensation by element among the peer group companies, developed frameworks and guidelines for the structure of our executive compensation program, reviewed the overall target total direct compensation opportunities for our named executive officers, and advised the Compensation Committee regarding the market competitiveness of our executive compensation program. In addressing Compensia’s independence in light of applicable SEC rules and Nasdaq standards, the Compensation Committee considered relevant factors and concluded that Compensia is independent and the engagement would not raise any conflicts of interest under the applicable rules and standards.

Fiscal 2026 Summary Compensation Table

The following table sets forth, for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026, and 2025, information with respect to the compensation for services in all capacities paid to our named executive officers.

Set forth below is the value for the PSUs granted to our named executive officers during fiscal 2026 assuming that the maximum number of shares was issued (i.e., 200% of the target award value).

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End 2026

The following table sets forth information with respect to outstanding equity awards of the Company held by our named executive officers as of April 30, 2026.

Retirement Plans

We maintain our Profit Sharing and Investment Plan, or 401(k) Plan, a retirement plan intended to be tax-qualified under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (sometimes referred to as the Code) and under which 401(k), Roth, matching, and discretionary profit-sharing contributions are authorized. All profit-sharing contributions vest immediately and all matching contributions vest 50% after one year and 100% after two years. The plan covers substantially all of our employees, including our executive officers, subject to meeting applicable eligibility requirements.

Employees become eligible to make 401(k) and Roth contributions and to receive matching contributions on the first day of the month after their date of hire. Subject to certain Code limitations, the plan permits non-highly compensated employees to make 401(k) and Roth contributions of up to 100% of their eligible compensation and for the plan year ended April 30, 2026. Subject to certain Code limitations, we make discretionary matching contributions with respect to our employees’ 401(k) and Roth contributions. For the plan years ended April 30, 2026 and 2025, we made matching contributions equal to 50% of participants’ 401(k) and Roth contributions, up to 6% of their eligible compensation.

Employees become eligible to receive profit sharing contributions on the first day of the plan year subsequent to the date on which they complete one year of eligible service and must be employed on the last day of the plan year, in order to receive a profit-sharing contribution, if any, for that plan year. For the fiscal years ended April 30, 2026 and 2025, we made no profit sharing contributions.

Pension Benefits and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

We do not offer any defined benefit pension plan or nonqualified deferred compensation plan to any of our executive officers.

Health and Welfare Benefits

Our named executive officers, during their employment with us, are eligible to participate in our employee benefit plans, including our medical and dental insurance plans, in each case on the same basis as all of our other employees. We do, however, cover a certain portion of the premiums for medical and dental insurance for all of our employees, including our named executive officers.

Employment Agreements and Severance Arrangements with Our Named Executive Officers

Employment Agreement with Mr. Murphy

Under the terms of the employment agreement with Mr. Murphy, he is entitled to an annual base salary of $500,000 (subject to annual review by our Board of Directors or a committee thereof for increase based on our performance or the performance of Mr. Murphy). Mr. Murphy is also eligible to participate in our executive compensation programs, to receive a discretionary annual bonus as determined by our Board of Directors or a committee thereof, and to receive annual and periodic stock-based compensation awards as determined by our Board of Directors or a committee thereof. Mr. Murphy is entitled to receive other standard benefits, including participation in any group insurance, pension, retirement, vacation, expense reimbursement, relocation program, and other plans, programs, and benefits approved by our Board of Directors or a committee thereof and made available from time to time to our other executive employees; and certain insurance benefits (including the reimbursement of reasonable insurance premiums for a key person term-insurance policy on the life of Mr. Murphy with beneficiaries selected by Mr. Murphy).

If we unilaterally terminate Mr. Murphy’s employment without cause, Mr. Murphy will receive (i) his base salary for a period of 18 months after such termination; (ii) a pro rata portion of his annual cash bonus for the fiscal year in which the termination occurs to the extent earned under the then applicable executive annual cash incentive program; (iii) at our option, either (x) coverage under our medical plan to the extent provided for Mr. Murphy pursuant to the employment agreement at the termination, such benefits to be received for a period of 18 months after the termination, or (y) reimbursement for the COBRA premium for such coverage through the earlier of such 18-month period or the COBRA eligibility period; and (iv) a vested pro rata portion of stock-based awards scheduled to vest in the fiscal year of the termination.

If Mr. Murphy unilaterally terminates his employment without cause, or if Mr. Murphy engages in an act or acts involving a crime, moral turpitude, fraud, or dishonesty, or he willfully violates in a material respect our corporate governance guidelines, code of conduct, or code of ethics for the chief executive officer and senior financial officers, Mr. Murphy will receive no further compensation under the employment agreement.

If Mr. Murphy’s employment is terminated by reason of his death or disability, if we unilaterally terminate Mr. Murphy’s employment without cause, or if Mr. Murphy voluntarily terminates his employment following a qualifying change in control event as described below, the employment agreement provides that he will receive, for the fiscal year of the notice of termination, any earned bonus, on a pro-rated basis, based on the performance goals actually achieved for the fiscal year of the notice of termination, as determined in the sole discretion of our Board of Directors or a committee thereof, at the time such bonuses are paid to our other employees.

The employment agreement provides that, in the event of a change in control of the Company (as defined in the employment agreement), Mr. Murphy may, at his option and upon written notice to us, terminate his employment, unless (i) the provisions of the employment agreement remain in full force and effect and (ii) Mr. Murphy suffers no reduction in his status, duties, authority, or compensation following the change in control, provided that Mr. Murphy will be considered to suffer a reduction in his status, duties, or authority if, after the change in control, (a) he is not the chief executive officer of the company that succeeds to our business; (b) such company’s stock is not listed on a national stock exchange; or (c) such company terminates Mr. Murphy’s employment or reduces his status, duties, authority, or compensation within one year of the change in control. If Mr. Murphy terminates his employment due to a change in control following which the employment agreement does not remain in full force and effect or his status, duties, authority, or compensation have been reduced, he will receive (A) his base salary for a period of 18 months after such termination; (B) an amount equal to 150% of the average of his cash bonus paid for each of the two fiscal years immediately preceding his termination, which will be paid over the 18-month period after such termination; (C) continued payment of his car allowance for 18 months after such termination; and (D) at our option, either (x) coverage under our medical plan to the extent provided for him at the date of termination for a period equal to 18 months after such termination or (y) reimbursement for the COBRA premium for such coverage through the earlier of such 18-month period or the COBRA eligibility period. In addition, all unvested stock-based compensation held by Mr. Murphy in his capacity as an employee on the effective date of the termination will vest as of the effective date of such termination.

Our obligation to provide Mr. Murphy with the termination benefits described above is subject to Mr. Murphy's execution of our standard release of claims. The employment agreement further prohibits Mr. Murphy from competing with us for a period equal to 18 months following the termination of his employment with us, regardless of the reason therefore, in any state or other geographical area in which we sell products or provide services during Mr. Murphy’s employment with us. The employment agreement also prohibits Mr. Murphy from soliciting, seeking to hire, or hiring any person or persons who is employed by or was employed by us within 12 months of Mr. Murphy’s termination of his employment for a period equal to 18 months following the termination of his employment with us.

The employment agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.13 to the Company's Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 26, 2020.

Executive Severance Pay Plan

Messrs. Fulmer and Vulgamott are eligible to receive benefits pursuant to the Executive Severance Pay Plan, which we refer to as the Executive Severance Plan, is in effect for the benefit of any officer of the Company or any officer of an affiliate that is selected by the plan administrator (which is the Compensation Committee) in its sole and absolute discretion. The Executive Severance Plan is attached as Exhibit 10.14 to the Company's Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 26, 2020.

Pursuant to the Executive Severance Plan, if we terminate a participating executive without Good Cause (other than due to death or disability) or a participating executive resigns for Good Reason (each as defined in the Executive Severance Plan), he or she will be eligible to receive the following payments and benefits, subject to the terms and conditions set out the Executive Severance Plan: (a) the participating executive’s base salary for a period of the greater of (i) 26 weeks or (ii) the period designated for the participating executive by the administrator, in each case following the effective date of such termination or resignation; (b) a portion of the participating executive’s annual cash bonus for the fiscal year in which the termination occurs to the extent earned under the then applicable executive annual cash incentive program in which the participating executive participates, such amount to be calculated based on the amount that would have been paid for such fiscal year in the absence of the termination multiplied by the fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in such fiscal year prior to the effective date of the termination and the denominator of which is 360 and such amount to be paid in accordance with the provisions of such Executive Severance Plan; and (c) in the event the participating executive elects such coverage, reimbursement for the cost of continuation coverage pursuant to COBRA during the period described in (a) above for the participating executive and his or her eligible dependents.

In addition, pursuant to the Executive Severance Plan, if we terminate a participating executive during a Potential Change in Control Protection Period or Change in Control Protection Period (each as defined in the Executive Severance Plan) without Good Cause (other than due to death or disability) or a participating executive resigns following an Adverse Change in Control Effect (each as defined in the Executive Severance Plan), he or she will be eligible to receive the following payments and benefits, subject to the terms and conditions set out in the Executive Severance Plan: (a) the participating executive’s base salary for a period of the greater of (i) 52 weeks or (ii) the period designated for the participating executive by the administrator, in each case following the effective date of such termination or resignation; (b) a lump sum cash payment equal to the average of the cash bonus paid to the participating executive for each of the two fiscal years immediately preceding the termination or resignation; (c) all unvested equity-based compensation held by the participating

executive at the time of the termination or resignation that was granted to the participating executive in his or her capacity as an employee after the effective date of the Executive Severance Plan will vest as of the effective date of such termination or resignation; and (d) in the event the participating executive elects such coverage, reimbursement for the cost of continuation coverage pursuant to COBRA during the period described in (a) above for the participating executive and his or her eligible dependents.

Our obligations under the Executive Severance Plan are contingent upon (i) the participating executive executing (and not revoking during any applicable revocation period) and not violating any provision of a valid and enforceable full and unconditional release of all claims against us or any of our affiliates, and (ii) the participating executive’s full compliance with any and all non-competition, non-solicitation, and similar agreements by which the participating executive was bound as of the effective date of his or her termination or resignation.

In addition, the Executive Severance Plan restricts the participating executive from (i) competing with us within the Restricted Territory (as defined in the Executive Severance Plan) during his or her employment with us and for the period equal to the longer of six months after the termination of his or her employment, or the period during which he or she receives cash severance pursuant to the Executive Severance Plan, and (ii) soliciting for employment, seeking to hire, or hiring any person or persons who is employed by or was employed by us within 12 months of the termination of the participating executive’s employment for the purpose of having any such person engage in services that are the same as or similar or related to the services that such person provided for us for a period of 12 months after the termination of his or her employment. The Executive Severance Plan requires the participating executive to (i) maintain in strict secrecy all Confidential Information (as defined in the Executive Severance Plan) obtained by the participating executive in the course of his or her employment; (ii) return to us, upon the termination of his or her employment, books, records, papers, equipment, and all other materials that may contain Confidential Information relating to our business; and (iii) disclose promptly to us all ideas, designs, processes, and improvements relating to our business conceived during his or her employment with the Company or within six months thereafter.

2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Our 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan is intended to provide our employees with an opportunity to acquire a proprietary interest in the Company through the purchase of shares of our common stock through accumulated voluntary payroll deductions, thereby enhancing employee interest in our continued success. The plan was adopted by our Board of Directors, and approved by our then-sole stockholder, in August 2020.

The number of shares of our common stock available for sale under our 2020 Employee Stock Purchase Plan is equal to 419,253 shares, plus the lesser of (i) 1% of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding as of the end of each of our fiscal years or (ii) such number of shares as determined by our Board of Directors or a Board committee designated by our Board of Directors. The plan is currently administered by our Board of Directors. Under the plan’s terms, however, our Board of Directors may appoint a committee to administer the plan, which we refer to as the Plan Committee. The plan grants broad authority to our Board of Directors or the Plan Committee to administer and interpret the plan.

The plan permits eligible employees to authorize payroll deductions that will be utilized to purchase shares of our common stock during a series of consecutive 12-month offering periods, with two six-month purchase or exercise periods within the offering periods. Employees may purchase shares of common stock pursuant to the plan at a favorable price and possibly with favorable tax consequences. All employees of the Company or of those subsidiaries, designated by our Board of Directors, who are regularly scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week for more than five months per calendar year, are eligible to participate in the plan. However, an employee will not be granted an option under the plan if immediately after the grant, such employee would own common stock, including outstanding options to purchase common stock under the plan, possessing 5% or more of the total combined voting power or value of our common stock, or participation in the plan would permit such employee’s rights to purchase our common stock under all of our employee stock purchase plans to exceed $25,000 in fair market value (determined at the time the option is granted) of our common stock for each calendar year in which such option is outstanding.

The plan is implemented in a series of successive offering periods, each with a maximum duration of 12 months. If the fair market value per share of our common stock on any purchase date is less than the fair market value per share on the start date of a 12-month offering period, then that offering period will automatically terminate, and a new 12-month offering period will begin on the next business day. Each offering period will begin on the April 1 or October 1, as applicable, immediately following the end of the previous offering period.

Upon enrollment in the plan, the participant authorizes a payroll deduction, on an after-tax basis, in an amount of not less than 1% and not more than 20% (or such greater percentage as the Plan Committee may establish from time to time before the first day of an offering period) of the participant’s eligible compensation on each payroll date. Unless the participant withdraws from the plan, the participant’s option for the purchase of shares will be exercised automatically on each exercise date, and the maximum number of full shares subject to the option will be purchased for the participant at the applicable exercise price with the accumulated plan contributions then credited to the participant’s account under the plan. To the extent necessary to comply with Section 423 of the Code, the Plan Committee may

reduce a participant’s payroll deduction percentage to 0% at such time during any purchase period scheduled to end during the current calendar year when the participant’s aggregate payroll deductions for the calendar year exceeds $25,000 multiplied by the applicable percentage (i.e., 85%).

Under the plan, the maximum number of shares that a participant may purchase during any exercise period is 2,500 shares. In addition, the IRS has established a calendar year maximum purchase equal to a total value of $25,000 in shares, based on the fair market value on the first day of the exercise period. A participant will have no interest or voting right in shares of our common stock covered by the participant’s option until such option has been exercised. No interest is paid on funds withheld, and those funds are used by the Company for general operating purposes.

The plan provides for adjustment of the number of shares for which options may be granted, the number of shares subject to outstanding options, and the exercise price of outstanding options in the event of any increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding shares as a result of one or more reorganizations, restructurings, recapitalizations, reclassifications, stock splits, reverse stock splits, or stock dividends. If the Company dissolves or liquidates, the offering period will terminate immediately prior to the consummation of that action, unless otherwise provided by the Plan Committee. In the event of a merger or a sale of all or substantially all of the Ccompany’s assets, each option under the plan will be assumed or an equivalent option substituted by the successor corporation, unless the Plan Committee, in its sole discretion, accelerates the date on which the options may be exercised.

The plan will remain in effect until the earliest of (a) the exercise date that participants become entitled to purchase a number of shares greater than the number of reserved shares available for purchase under the plan, (b) such date as is determined by the Board of Directors in its discretion, or (c) August 21, 2030.

The Board of Directors or the Plan Committee may amend the plan at any time, provided that such amendment may not adversely affect the rights of any participant with respect to previously granted options and the plan may not be amended if such amendment would in any way cause rights issued under the plan to fail to meet the requirements for employee stock purchase plans as defined in Section 423 of the Code. To the extent necessary to comply with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act, Section 423 of the Code, or any other applicable law or regulation, the Board of Directors will obtain stockholder approval for an amendment.

Our stockholders will not have any preemptive rights to purchase or subscribe for the shares reserved for issuance under the plan. If any option granted under the plan expires or terminates for any reason other than having been exercised in full, the unpurchased shares subject to that option will again be available for purposes of the plan.

2020 Incentive Compensation Plan

Our 2020 Incentive Compensation Plan was adopted by our Board of Directors, and approved by our sole stockholder, in August 2020. The plan is designed to assist the Company and its subsidiaries and other designated affiliates, which we refer to as Related Entities, in attracting, motivating, retaining (including through designated retention awards), and rewarding high-quality executives, employees, officers, directors, and individual consultants who provide services to the Company or our Related Entities, by enabling such persons to acquire or increase a proprietary interest in the Company in order to strengthen the mutuality of interests between such persons and our stockholders, and providing such persons with performance incentives to expend their maximum efforts in the creation of stockholder value.

Under the plan, we may grant stock options, stock appreciation rights (sometimes referred to as SARs), restricted stock, RSUs, shares granted as a bonus or in lieu of another award, dividend equivalents, and other stock-based awards or performance awards. The persons eligible to receive awards under the plan consist of officers, directors, employees, and consultants of the Company who are natural persons providing bona fide services to the Company or any of our Related Entities and whose services are not in connection with the offer or sale of securities in a capital raising transaction, and do not directly or indirectly promote or maintain a market for shares of our common stock. The material features of the plan are outlined below.

Shares available for awards; adjustments. The aggregate number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the plan is 1,397,510 shares, plus the lesser of (i) 2% of the number of shares outstanding as of the end of each of our fiscal years or (ii) such lesser number of shares as the Compensation Committee may determine. We expect any shares that are subject to an award under the plan will be counted against this limit as one share for every one share granted.

If any shares subject to (i) any award under the plan, or after the effective date of the plan are forfeited, expire, or otherwise terminate without issuance of such shares, (ii) any shares subject to any award that are withheld to satisfy the applicable withholding taxes resulting from the grant, exercise, and/or vesting of such award, or (iii) any award under the plan that could have been settled with shares is settled for cash or otherwise does not result in the issuance of all or a portion of the shares, the shares to which those awards were subject, will, to the extent of such forfeiture, expiration, termination, cash settlement, or non-issuance, again be available for delivery with respect to awards under the plan.

Any share that again becomes available for delivery pursuant to the provisions described above will be added back as one share.

The administrator of the plan is authorized to adjust the limitations on the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the plan and the individual limitations on the amount of certain awards (other than the $100,000 limitation described above with respect to incentive stock option awards) and will adjust outstanding awards (including adjustments to exercise prices of options and other affected terms of awards) to the extent it deems equitable in the event that any extraordinary dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, shares of common stock, or other property), recapitalization, forward or reverse split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, repurchase, share exchange, or other similar corporate transaction or event affects our common stock so that an adjustment is appropriate.

Administration. The plan is to be administered by the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors; except, if our Board of Directors fails to designate a Compensation Committee or if there are no longer any members on the Compensation Committee so designated by our Board of Directors, or for any other reason determined by our Board of Directors, then our Board of Directors will serve as the committee. Subject to the terms of the plan, our Compensation Committee is authorized to select eligible persons to receive awards, grant awards, determine the type, number and other terms and conditions of, and all other matters relating to, awards, prescribe award agreements (which need not be identical for each participant), and the rules and regulations for the administration of the plan, construe and interpret the plan and award agreements, correct defects, supply omissions or reconcile inconsistencies therein, and make all other decisions and determinations as our Compensation Committee may deem necessary or advisable for the administration of the plan.

Stock options and stock appreciation rights. Our Compensation Committee is authorized to grant stock options, including both incentive stock options, or ISOs, which can result in potentially favorable tax treatment to the participant, and non-qualified stock options, and SARs entitling the participant to receive the amount by which the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date of exercise exceeds the grant price of the SAR. The exercise price per share subject to an option and the grant price of a SAR are determined by our Compensation Committee, provided that the exercise price per share of an option and the grant price per share of a SAR will be no less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date such option or SAR is granted. An option granted to a person who owns or is deemed to own stock representing 10% or more of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any parent company (sometimes referred to as a “10% owner”) will not qualify as an ISO unless the exercise price for the option is not less than 110% of the fair market value of a share of our common stock on the date such ISO is granted.

The maximum term of each option or SAR, the times at which each option or SAR will be exercisable, and provisions requiring forfeiture of unexercised options or SARs at or following termination of employment generally are fixed by our Compensation Committee, except that no option or SAR may have a term exceeding ten years, and no ISO granted to a 10% owner (as described above) may have a term exceeding five years (to the extent required by the Code at the time of grant). Methods of exercise and settlement and other terms of options and SARs are determined by our Compensation Committee. Our Compensation Committee, thus, has the discretion to permit the exercise price of options awarded under the plan to be paid in cash, shares, other awards or other property (including loans to participants).

Restricted stock. Our Compensation Committee is authorized to grant restricted stock. Restricted stock is a grant of shares of our common stock, which are subject to such risks of forfeiture and other restrictions as our Compensation Committee may impose, including time or performance restrictions or both. A participant granted restricted stock generally has all of the rights of a stockholder of the Company (including voting and dividend rights), unless otherwise determined by our Compensation Committee.

Restricted stock units. Our Compensation Committee is authorized to grant restricted stock units, or RSUs. An award of RSUs confers upon a participant the right to receive shares of our common stock or cash equal to the fair market value of the specified number of shares covered by the RSUs at the end of a specified deferral period, subject to such risks of forfeiture and other restrictions as our Compensation Committee may impose. Prior to settlement, an award of RSUs carries no voting or dividend rights or other rights associated with share ownership, although dividend equivalents may be granted.

Dividend equivalents. Our Compensation Committee is authorized to grant dividend equivalents conferring on participants the right to receive, currently or on a deferred basis, cash, shares of common stock, other awards, or other property equal in value to dividends paid on a specific number of shares of common stock or other periodic payments. Dividend equivalents may be granted in connection with another award (other than stock options and SARs), may be paid currently or on a deferred basis and, if deferred, may be deemed to have been reinvested in additional shares of common stock, awards, or otherwise as specified by our Compensation Committee.

Shares granted as a bonus or in lieu of another award. Our Compensation Committee is authorized to grant shares of our common stock as a bonus free of restrictions, or to grant shares of our common stock or other awards authorized under the plan in lieu of our obligations to pay cash under the plan or other plans or compensatory arrangements.

Other stock-based awards. Our Compensation Committee is authorized to grant awards that are denominated or payable in, valued by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to shares of our common stock. Our Compensation Committee determines the terms and conditions of such awards.

Performance awards. Our Compensation Committee is authorized to grant performance awards to participants on terms and conditions established by our Compensation Committee. performance criteria to be achieved during any performance period and the length of the performance period will be determined by our Compensation Committee upon the grant of the performance award. Performance awards may be valued by reference to a designated number of shares (in which case they are referred to as performance shares) or by reference to a designated amount of property including cash (in which case they are referred to as performance units). Performance awards may be settled by delivery of cash, shares of our common stock or other property, or any combination thereof, as determined by our Compensation Committee.

Other terms of awards. Awards may be settled in the form of cash, shares of our common stock, other awards, or other property, in the discretion of our Compensation Committee. Our Compensation Committee may require or permit participants to defer the settlement of all or part of an award in accordance with such terms and conditions as our Compensation Committee may establish, including payment or crediting of interest or dividend equivalents on deferred amounts, and the crediting of earnings, gains, and losses based on deemed investment of deferred amounts in specified investment vehicles. Our Compensation Committee is authorized to place cash, shares of our common stock, or other property in trusts or make other arrangements to provide for payment of our obligations under the plan. Our Compensation Committee may condition any payment relating to an award on the withholding of taxes and may provide that a portion of any shares of our common stock or other property to be distributed will be withheld (or previously acquired shares of common stock or other property be surrendered by the participant) to satisfy withholding and other tax obligations. Awards granted under the plan generally may not be pledged or otherwise encumbered and are not transferable except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, or to a designated beneficiary upon the participant’s death, except that our Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, permit transfers subject to any terms and conditions our Compensation Committee may impose thereon.

Acceleration of vesting; change in control. Subject to certain limitations contained in the plan, including those described in the following paragraph, our Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, accelerate the exercisability, the lapsing of restrictions or the expiration of deferral or vesting periods of any award. In the event of a “change in control” of the Company, as defined in the plan, any restrictions, deferral of settlement, and forfeiture conditions applicable to an award will not lapse, and any performance goals and conditions applicable to an award will not be deemed to have been met, as of the time of the change in control, unless either (i) we are the surviving entity in the change in control and the award does not continue to be outstanding after the change in control on substantially the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to the change in control or (ii) the successor company does not assume or substitute for the applicable award, as determined in accordance with the terms of the plan. In the event of a change in control and either, (i) we are the surviving entity in the change in control and the award does not continue to be outstanding after the change in control on substantially the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to the change in control or (ii) the successor company does not assume or substitute for the applicable award, as determined in accordance with the terms of the plan, the applicable award agreement may provide that any restrictions, deferral of settlement, and forfeiture conditions applicable to an award will lapse, and any performance goals and conditions applicable to an award shall be deemed to have been met, as of the time of the change in control. If the award continues to be outstanding after the change in control on substantially the same terms and conditions as were applicable immediately prior to the change in control, or the successor company assumes or substitutes for the applicable award, as determined in accordance with the plan, the applicable award agreement may provide that with respect to each award held by such participant at the time of the change in control, in the event a participant’s employment is terminated without “cause” by the Company or any Related Entity or by such successor company or by the participant for “good reason,” as those terms are defined in the plan, within 24 months following such change in control, any restrictions, deferral of settlement, and forfeiture conditions applicable to each such award will lapse, and any performance goals and conditions applicable to each such award will be deemed to have been met, as of the date on which the participant’s employment is terminated.

Amendment and termination. Our Board of Directors may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the plan or our Compensation Committee’s authority to grant awards without further stockholder approval, except that stockholder approval must be obtained for any amendment or alteration if such approval is required by law or regulation or under the rules of any stock exchange or quotation system on which shares of our common stock are then listed or quoted; provided that, except as otherwise permitted by the plan or an award agreement, without the consent of an affected participant, no such action by our Board of Directors may materially and adversely affect the rights of such participant under the terms of any previously granted and outstanding award. The plan will terminate at the earliest of (i) such time as no shares of common stock remain available for issuance under the plan, (ii) termination of the plan by our Board of Directors, or (iii) the tenth anniversary of the effective date of the plan.

Director Compensation

The following table sets forth, for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2026, the compensation paid to each of our non-employee directors.