HERBALIFE LTD (HLF)
Sector: Consumer Staples
2026 Annual Meeting Analysis
HERBALIFE LTD · Meeting: April 30, 2026
Directors FOR
11
Directors AGAINST
0
Say on Pay
AGAINST
Auditor
AGAINST
Director Elections
Election of Directors
Johnson joined the board in April 2022 (approximately 4 years of tenure); the 3-year TSR trigger does not apply because HLF's 3-year return of -16.4% outperforms the peer group median of -41.7% by +25.3 percentage points, well below the 20pp underperformance threshold required to trigger a No vote; no overboarding, attendance, or independence concerns for this non-independent executive role.
Carmona has served since 2013 and is independent; the TSR trigger does not fire because HLF outperforms its peer group median over 3 years; he holds no current public board seats and has relevant health and wellness expertise; no attendance or overboarding issues flagged.
Cloud joined the board in April 2025, well within the 24-month new-director exemption window, so the TSR trigger does not apply; she brings relevant education and online health coaching experience; no other flags identified.
L'Hélias has served since 2021 and is independent; the TSR trigger does not fire because HLF outperforms peers over 3 years; she serves on one public board (International Workplace Group PLC, a London-listed company) which does not trigger overboarding; her governance and sustainability expertise is relevant.
Levitt joined in 2024 and is independent; his tenure overlaps less than 24 months so the TSR trigger exemption applies; his financial expertise in consumer credit and investment markets is relevant; no overboarding or attendance concerns.
Macadrai is a non-independent director serving only on the Sustainability Committee, which does not require independence under NYSE rules; the TSR trigger does not fire because HLF outperforms peers over 3 years; her 32 years as an independent Herbalife distributor provides directly relevant operational insight; no overboarding or attendance issues.
Mendoza has served since 2018 and is non-independent because he earns income as an Herbalife distributor; he serves only on the Sustainability Committee, which does not require independence; the TSR trigger does not fire because HLF outperforms peers over 3 years; no overboarding or attendance concerns.
Miller joined in 2024 and is independent; his tenure is under 24 months so the TSR trigger exemption applies; he serves as Lead Director with relevant digital media and e-commerce experience; no overboarding or attendance concerns.
Mulligan has served since 2021 and is independent; the TSR trigger does not fire because HLF outperforms peers over 3 years; he holds two other public board seats (Energizer Holdings and Tennant Company), which is within the 3-seat limit for non-executive directors; his CFO background at General Mills qualifies him as the Audit Committee financial expert.
Otero has served since 2013 and is independent; the TSR trigger does not fire because HLF outperforms peers over 3 years; she chairs the Compensation Committee and has relevant global leadership and regulatory experience; no overboarding or attendance concerns.
Walsh is standing for election for the first time at this meeting and is classified as non-independent due to recent compensation from the company exceeding $120,000; he serves on no public board committees requiring independence and holds no other public board seats; his 18 years of senior executive experience at Herbalife provides directly relevant operational expertise; as a first-time nominee the TSR trigger exemption applies.
All 11 director nominees receive a FOR vote. HLF's 3-year TSR of -16.4% actually outperforms its compensation peer group median of -41.7% by +25.3 percentage points, so the TSR underperformance trigger does not apply to any director. New directors (Cloud, Levitt, Miller, Walsh) fall within the 24-month exemption window. Non-independent directors (Johnson, Macadrai, Mendoza, Walsh) serve on appropriate committees. Don Mulligan's two outside public board seats do not exceed the three-seat limit. The board discloses a skills matrix and attendance was satisfactory for all members.
Say on Pay
✗ AGAINSTCEO
Michael O. Johnson
Total Comp
$8,662,643
Prior Support
51.5%%
At the 2025 annual meeting, only 51.5% of votes supported the executive compensation program — far below the 70% threshold our policy uses as a signal that shareholders have serious concerns. While the company did make meaningful changes in response (reintroducing performance share awards and revising short-term incentive metrics), the prior-year support level is so low — barely a majority — that it represents a strong shareholder rejection that warrants continued skepticism. Additionally, the overall pay quantum for the Executive Chairman role is large: Michael Johnson's total reported compensation was $8.66 million for a role that transitioned mid-year from CEO to Executive Chairman, including a $500,000 personal aircraft allowance, and the company sits in the lower quartile of its peer group by market capitalization, raising pay-level concerns relative to a benchmark adjusted for company size. The structural improvements are noted as a positive step, but given the severity of the prior rejection and unresolved pay-level questions, a No vote is appropriate to signal continued pressure for further alignment.
Auditor Ratification
✗ AGAINSTAuditor
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Tenure
N/A
Audit Fees
$7,267,000
Non-Audit Fees
$4,872,000
The non-audit fees paid to PwC in 2025 were $4,872,000 in tax fees plus $62,000 in audit-related fees, totaling approximately $4,934,000 against audit fees of $7,205,000, producing a non-audit ratio of approximately 68% — well above the 50% threshold in our policy. A non-audit relationship this large relative to the core audit raises concerns about whether PwC can remain fully independent from management. PwC tenure is not disclosed in the proxy, so the tenure trigger cannot be applied, and no material restatements were noted, but the fee ratio alone is sufficient to warrant a No vote.
Overall Assessment
The 2026 Herbalife annual meeting presents three standard proposals: director elections, Say on Pay, and auditor ratification. All 11 director nominees receive a FOR vote because HLF's 3-year stock performance actually outperformed its compensation peer group median, clearing the TSR trigger; however, both Say on Pay and auditor ratification receive AGAINST votes — Say on Pay due to last year's dangerously low 51.5% shareholder approval and unresolved pay-level concerns for the Executive Chairman, and PwC ratification because non-audit fees (primarily tax services) represent approximately 68% of audit fees, exceeding the 50% independence threshold in our policy.
Compensation Peer Group
16 companies disclosed in 2026 proxy filing