Key Insights

• Hancock Whitney will host its Annual General Meeting on 24th of April
• Total pay for CEO John Hairston includes US$1.17m salary
• Total compensation is similar to the industry average
• Hancock Whitney's EPS grew by 28% over the past three years while total shareholder return over the past three years was 11%

CEO John Hairston has done a decent job of delivering relatively good performance at Hancock Whitney Corporation (NASDAQ:HWC) recently. As shareholders go into the upcoming AGM on 24th of April, CEO compensation will probably not be their focus, but rather the steps management will take to continue the growth momentum. We present our case of why we think CEO compensation looks fair.

Comparing Hancock Whitney Corporation's CEO Compensation With The Industry

According to our data, Hancock Whitney Corporation has a market capitalization of US$3.7b, and paid its CEO total annual compensation worth US$5.6m over the year to December 2023. We note that's a decrease of 16% compared to last year. While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth acknowledging that the salary portion is lower, valued at US$1.2m.

In comparison with other companies in the American Banks industry with market capitalizations ranging from US$2.0b to US$6.4b, the reported median CEO total compensation was US$4.7m. From this we gather that John Hairston is paid around the median for CEOs in the industry. Moreover, John Hairston also holds US$4.4m worth of Hancock Whitney stock directly under their own name, which reveals to us that they have a significant personal stake in the company.

On an industry level, around 45% of total compensation represents salary and 55% is other remuneration. Hancock Whitney sets aside a smaller share of compensation for salary, in comparison to the overall industry. It's important to note that a slant towards non-salary compensation suggests that total pay is tied to the company's performance.

Hancock Whitney Corporation's Growth

Hancock Whitney Corporation has seen its earnings per share (EPS) increase by 28% a year over the past three years. It saw its revenue drop 6.0% over the last year.

Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. The lack of revenue growth isn't ideal, but it is the bottom line that counts most in business. Looking ahead, you might want to check this free visual report on analyst forecasts for the company's future earnings..

Has Hancock Whitney Corporation Been A Good Investment?

Hancock Whitney Corporation has served shareholders reasonably well, with a total return of 11% over three years. But they probably wouldn't be so happy as to think the CEO should be paid more than is normal, for companies around this size.

To Conclude...

Given that the company's overall performance has been reasonable, the CEO remuneration policy might not be shareholders' central point of focus in the upcoming AGM. However, we still think that any proposed increase in CEO compensation will be examined closely to make sure the compensation is appropriate and linked to performance.

CEO compensation is a crucial aspect to keep your eyes on but investors also need to keep their eyes open for other issues related to business performance. That's why we did some digging and identified 1 warning sign for Hancock Whitney that investors should think about before committing capital to this stock.

Switching gears from Hancock Whitney, if you're hunting for a pristine balance sheet and premium returns, this free list of high return, low debt companies is a great place to look.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.