Helen of Troy Shareholders Back Board, Pay Plan as CEO Maps Turnaround Roadmap

Key Points

• Shareholders approved all four proposals at Helen of Troy’s 2026 annual meeting, including the election of nine directors, executive compensation, an expanded stock incentive plan and Grant Thornton as fiscal 2027 auditor.
• CEO G. Scott Uzzell said the company faced tariffs, cautious retailers and shifting trade patterns in fiscal 2026, but responded by diversifying suppliers, streamlining products, generating cash flow and reducing debt.
• Fiscal 2027 will serve as the foundation year of a three-phase turnaround focused on reinvesting in priority brands, improving innovation and execution, and moving decision-making closer to consumers through a new general-management structure.

Helen of Troy NASDAQ: HELE shareholders approved all four proposals at the company’s 2026 annual general meeting, including the election of nine directors, an advisory vote on executive compensation, an expansion of the company’s stock incentive plan and the appointment of Grant Thornton LLP as its auditor for fiscal 2027.

The virtual meeting was chaired by Timothy Meeker, who said shareholders could vote online and submit questions during the session. CEO G. Scott Uzzell said 23,292,061 common shares were issued, outstanding and eligible to vote as of the June 18, 2026, record date. The company reported that holders of a majority of eligible shares were represented in person or by proxy, establishing a quorum.

Shareholders Approve Board and Compensation Proposals

Shareholders elected all nine nominees proposed by the board’s nominating committee: Uzzell, Krista L. Berry, Thurman K. Case, Marlow M. Cormier, Mitchell Fadel, Tabata L. Gomez, Elena B. Otero, Beryl B. Raff and Darren G. Woody.

They also approved, on an advisory basis, the compensation of the company’s named executive officers. In addition, shareholders voted in favor of an amendment to the Helen of Troy 2025 Stock Incentive Plan that increases the number of shares available for issuance.

The fourth proposal, appointing Grant Thornton LLP as the company’s auditor and independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2027 and authorizing the audit committee to set its remuneration, also received majority support.

Anne Rakunas, Helen of Troy’s director of external communications and the meeting’s voting official, announced the preliminary results. Uzzell said final voting results would be disclosed in a Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

CEO Outlines Multi-Year Roadmap

Following the formal meeting, Uzzell described fiscal 2026 as “a dynamic and challenging year,” citing selective consumers, cautious retailer inventory management, tariffs and changing global trade patterns that pressured costs and working capital.

Uzzell, who said he joined the company less than a year ago, outlined priorities to re-energize brands and employees, adapt the company’s structure around consumers, strengthen the portfolio for more predictable growth and improve asset efficiency while maintaining shareholder-friendly policies.

He said the company began shifting in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2026 from a primary focus on cost containment to protecting investments in people, innovation, brands and commercial capabilities. The company maintained cost discipline while directing resources toward brands, products and markets where it sees its strongest opportunities, he said.

Among actions taken during fiscal 2026, Uzzell said Helen of Troy:

• Kept inventory levels essentially flat despite higher tariffs embedded in inventory.
• Mitigated tariff pressures through supplier diversification, SKU streamlining and targeted pricing actions.
• Created greater supply-chain flexibility to address future trade developments.
• Generated strong cash flow, reduced debt and strengthened its balance sheet.
• Simplified priorities and moved decisions closer to consumers and the marketplace.

“We did not fully offset the pressures we faced, and we still have considerable work to do,” Uzzell said.

Fiscal 2027 Called a Foundation Year

Uzzell characterized fiscal 2027 as the foundation year for a multi-year, three-phase roadmap intended to stabilize the business and move toward a more focused portfolio of “powerhouse brands.” He said the company’s guiding principles are becoming better before becoming bigger, concentrating resources on the highest-impact opportunities and bringing decisions closer to consumers.

The company plans to selectively reinvest in businesses to restore brand momentum, accelerate growing brands and rebuild top-line momentum in declining scale brands, Uzzell said. Its operating priorities center on consumer-first innovation, commercial and operational excellence, and people and culture.

Uzzell said the company recorded year-over-year point-of-sale growth in tracked North American channels, concentrated in Braun, Osprey, OXO and Olive & June. He also cited sequential improvement in key areas, with the greatest improvement in beauty and wellness, as well as lower ending inventory and further debt reduction.

Helen of Troy is also implementing a general-management model with five segment general managers and three geographic general managers. Uzzell said the structure is intended to place accountability and decision-making closer to consumers and key markets.

Uzzell also recognized Meeker and board member Vince Carson for their service, noting that both are retiring from the board. No shareholder questions were submitted during the meeting.

About Helen of Troy (NASDAQ:HELE)

Helen of Troy Limited is a global consumer products company that designs, sources and markets a diversified portfolio of household, health and beauty brands. Headquartered in El Paso, Texas, the company operates through three principal segments—Health & Home, Housewares and Beauty—offering products under well-known names including OXO, Vicks, Braun, Honeywell Home, PUR and Hot Tools. Helen of Troy distributes its products through a combination of mass, specialty and e-commerce channels to consumers, retailers and distributors worldwide.

The Housewares segment features kitchen tools, gadgets and organizational solutions marketed primarily under the OXO brand, recognized for its ergonomic “Good Grips” design.

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