Velarion · Company Intelligence
Compensation Brief
Fiscal year 2025 · Filings through 2026-06-05

Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\ (LFCR)

Fiscal year 2025 executive and director compensation, incentive-plan design, equity activity, and governance — every figure in this brief is traceable to its exact location in the company’s SEC filing — the document, the section, the page, and the table, linked directly.

$4,302,439
Ryan Lake total, FY2025
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officerhighest-paid officer; CEO Paul Josephs: $1,115,305
1st
CEO (Paul Josephs) pay percentile vs peers
12:1
CEO-to-median pay ratio
99.23%
Say-on-pay support, latest vote
Companies that benchmark against LFCR
4 companies name LFCR as a compensation peer

Each company listed discloses LFCR in its own benchmarking peer group, as disclosed in each company's most recent proxy statement within the last two proxy seasons. Two companies are therefore absent by design: one that named LFCR in an earlier year and no longer does, and one whose own most recent disclosure is older than the last two seasons.

01

Summary Compensation Table — fiscal year 2025

Named executive officerSalaryBonusStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension / NQDCAll otherTotal
Ryan Lake$332,615$141,000$3,805,873$22,951$4,302,439
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Thomas Salus44,2313,199,120854,5116924,098,554
Chief Legal and Administrative Officer
Paul Josephs550,000275,000274,99615,3091,115,305
President and Chief Executive Officer

A dash means the company reported no figure in that column; 0 means it reported zero. Figures are as printed in the filing, without adjustment.

Three-year trend — total compensation per named executive

Named executive officerFY2025 totalFY2024 totalFY2023 totalΔ FY20242025
Ryan Lake$4,302,439
Thomas Salus4,098,554
Paul Josephs1,115,305

Prior-year totals as disclosed in the corresponding proxy; deltas are computed values with the derivation shown in the register.

02

Equity transactions since the proxy statement was filed

No insider equity transactions reported since the proxy statement.

03

Grants of plan-based awards — fiscal year 2025

ExecutiveAwardGrant dateThresholdTargetGrantedMaximumGrant-date fair value
Ryan LakeRSU2025-09-22170,800$341,600
Paul JosephsRSU2025-09-22344,167688,333
Thomas SalusRSU2025-09-22134,167268,333
03b

Vehicle mix — grant-date fair value by award type

Named executive officerTime-vested (RSU)Performance-vested (PSU)Options / SARs% performance-vested
Ryan Lake$341,600$0$00.0%
Paul Josephs688,333000.0%
Thomas Salus268,333000.0%

% performance-vested = PSU grant-date fair value ÷ (RSU + PSU + Options), a computed value with the derivation shown in the register.

04

Outstanding equity awards at fiscal year-end 2025

ExecutiveAwardShares unvestedExercise priceMarket value unvested
Paul JosephsRSU1,350,000$11,043,000
Ryan LakeRSU600,0004,908,000
Paul JosephsRSU400,0003,272,000
Thomas SalusRSU333,0002,723,940
Ryan LakeRSU210,0001,717,800
Thomas SalusRSU170,0001,390,600
Thomas SalusRSU45,000368,100
Thomas SalusOption210,0006.17
05

Incentive-plan design — the Compensation Discussion & Analysis

Lifecore's compensation program is designed to attract, retain, and reward key employees, motivate the achievement of short- and long-term strategic goals, and align executive interests with stockholders over the long term. The program balances day-to-day business management with incentives to increase profitability in the CDMO business through revenue growth and cost-saving initiatives.

CEO STI target (% of salary)
CEO LTI target (% of salary)
Independent consultantFrederic W. Cook & Co.
Clawback policytrue
Anti-hedgingtrue
Anti-pledgingtrue
06

Say-on-pay — recent advisory votes

Meeting yearMeeting dateForAgainstAbstainSupportOutcome
20262026-06-0422,938,684178,86812,85199.23%Passed
20252025-10-2924,642,130238,35480,39499.04%Passed
20242024-11-0723,645,284163,00341,09999.32%Passed
20222022-09-1220,189,4111,086,858324,09094.89%Passed
20212021-10-2020,155,2161,465,183491,81893.22%Passed
20202020-10-1423,788,131349,277564,72098.55%Passed

Rows are labeled by annual-meeting year, with the meeting date beside each; the vote held in a given year acts on the prior fiscal year's compensation.

Say-on-pay — history, company's computation

Meeting yearMeeting dateApproval — company's computation
20262026-06-0499.23%a
20252025-10-2999.04%b
20242024-11-0799.32%c

a. Voting standard not stated in the filing.

b. Voting standard not stated in the filing.

c. Voting standard not stated in the filing.

Approval percentages are the company's own reported computations under its own stated standard, not recomputed by Velarion. Where a company does not state a standard, none is assumed.

07

CEO pay ratio

Ratio (CEO : median employee)12 : 1
CEO total compensation
Median employee compensation$46,724
08

Director compensation — fiscal year 2025

DirectorCash feesStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentiveAll otherTotal
Katrina L. HoudeIndependent · Board Chair · Audit$102,917$150,001$252,918
Joshua E. SchechterIndependent · Audit · Nominating and Corporate Governance (Chair)53,333150,001203,334
Paul H. JohnsonIndependent · Compensation (Chair)53,333150,001203,334
Humberto C. AntunesIndependent · Compensation · Nominating and Corporate Governance50,417150,001200,418
Matthew E. KorenbergIndependent · Audit (Chair)40,833150,001190,834
Jason AryehIndependent · Audit · Nominating and Corporate Governance37,917150,001187,918
Nelson ObusIndependent · Compensation · Nominating and Corporate Governance37,917150,001187,918
Christopher S. KiperIndependent · Compensation35,000150,001185,001
Paul JosephsEmployee director0
09

Board fee structure and ownership guideline

Annual cash retainer$50,000
Annual equity retainer$150,000
Per board meeting fee$0
Committee chair fees (audit / comp / nom-gov)20,000 / 20,000 / 10,000
Stock ownership guideline$3
09b

Total cost of the board

ComponentFY2025
Cash retainers and fees$411,667
Equity awards (grant-date value)$1,200,008
All other compensation$0
Total cost of the board$1,611,675

Computed as the sum of the director compensation table rows above; inputs and formula shown in the register.

10

Disclosed peer group — fiscal year 2025

The compensation peer group as the company disclosed it in its own proxy — the reference set behind the percentile above.

PRPH ProPhase LabsACRS Aclaris TherapeuticsANIP ANI Pharma InotivOSUR OraSure TechAORT ArtivionCDXS CodexisRGNX ReGenXBioSRDX SurmodicsCERS CerusNAII Natural Alternatives InternationalDLHC DLH Holdings
10a

Peer reciprocity

Of the companies Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\ names as compensation peers, which name it back in their own disclosed peer groups. A peer set the market reciprocates reads differently from one selected in a single direction.

ProPhase Labs (PRPH) Aclaris Therapeutics (ACRS) ANI Pharma (ANIP)31 OraSure Tech (OSUR)32 Artivion (AORT)33 Codexis (CDXS) ReGenXBio (RGNX) Surmodics (SRDX)34 Cerus (CERS)35 Natural Alternatives International (NAII) DLH Holdings (DLHC)

Reciprocity shown where the peer's own current proxy has been read — each mark is cited in the register to that peer's filing. A dash means the peer's current proxy was read and names no reciprocal group including Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\.

10b

Chief executive pay against the peer group

Most recent fiscal-year chief executive compensation at each disclosed peer, taken from that company's own proxy statement.

RankCompanyFYChief executiveSalaryStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentiveTotal
1ANI Pharma2025Nikhil Lalwani$837,409$7,848,711$0$1,572,500$10,278,620
2Artivion2025J. Patrick Mackin835,1455,006,9900991,3686,883,108
3OraSure Tech2025Carrie Eglinton Manner721,0003,394,1880173,0404,292,228
4ReGenXBio2025Curran Simpson665,510777,4482,350,302387,3274,200,712
5Cerus2025William Greenman793,7502,242,5850756,0003,794,657
6Surmodics2024Gary Maharaj647,481940,0001,410,000654,2153,665,496
7Aclaris Therapeutics2025Neal Walker615,000828,4261,581,615350,5503,375,591
8Codexis2025Alison Moore524,732255,9941,065,223463,1252,323,279
9Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\2025Paul Josephs550,000274,9961,115,305
ProPhase Labsnot in coverage universe
Natural Alternatives Internationalnot in coverage universe
DLH Holdingsnot in coverage universe

Each peer's compensation is from its most recently filed proxy; fiscal years differ by company. Each peer's figures come from its own filings; the subject company is highlighted. Peers whose chief executive compensation is outside our coverage universe are stated as such, never left blank.

10c

Incentive design against the same peers

CompanyAnnual incentive payoutLong-term vehicle mixPSU measures include TSRCompensation consultant
Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\not disclosednot disclosednot disclosedFrederic W. Cook & Co.
Aclaris Therapeuticsnot disclosednot disclosednot disclosedPearl Meyer
ANI Pharma185%RSU 75 · PSU 25Yes — relative TSR against the constituents of the S&P 600 Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology and Life Sciences IndexPearl Meyer & Partners, LLC
Artivion118.7%PSU 50 · RSU 50NoWillis Towers Watson
Cerus126%RSU 75 · PSU 25NoAlpine
Codexis95%not disclosednot disclosedPearl Meyer
DLH Holdingsnot disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
Natural Alternatives Internationalnot disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
OraSure Tech24.0%RSU 50 · PSU 50Yes — Relative TSR performance vs peer groupPay Governance LLC
ProPhase Labsnot disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
ReGenXBio97%Options 75 · RSU 25not disclosedWillis Towers Watson
Surmodics126.3%Options 60 · RSU 40not disclosedPay Governance LLC

Read from each company's Compensation Discussion and Analysis: annual incentive payout as a percentage of target, the disclosed long-term vehicle mix, whether performance-share measures include a total shareholder return component, and the retained compensation consultant. “Not disclosed” appears only where the company's filing does not state the item.

11

Source register

Each figure's location is given both for the eye (section · page · table · row · column) and for a script (table/row/column index and exact character span in the filed document). Any figure can be independently confirmed against the source.

#SupportsDocumentFiledAccessionLocation in document
1Section 01, Ryan LakeDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Executive Compensation”. As printed: 4,302,439. Filing ↗
2Section 01, Thomas SalusDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Executive Compensation”. As printed: 4,098,554. Filing ↗
3Section 01, Paul JosephsDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Executive Compensation”. As printed: 1,115,305. Filing ↗
4Section 03, Ryan Lake RSUDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Executive Compensation” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: span 630174–630181
5Section 03, Paul Josephs RSUDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Executive Compensation” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: span 626554–626561
6Section 03, Thomas Salus RSUDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Executive Compensation” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: span 633311–633318
7Section 07, pay ratioDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “CEO Pay Ratio”. As printed: 12 : 1. Filing ↗
8Section 08, Katrina L. HoudeDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 252,918. Filing ↗
9Section 08, Joshua E. SchechterDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 203,334. Filing ↗
10Section 08, Paul H. JohnsonDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 203,334. Filing ↗
11Section 08, Humberto C. AntunesDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 200,418. Filing ↗
12Section 08, Matthew E. KorenbergDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 190,834. Filing ↗
13Section 08, Jason AryehDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 187,918. Filing ↗
14Section 08, Nelson ObusDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 187,918. Filing ↗
15Section 08, Christopher S. KiperDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 185,001. Filing ↗
16Section 08, Paul JosephsDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 0. Filing ↗
17Section 06, 2026 voteForm 8-K2026-06-050001005286-26-000023Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 99.23% (votes for as printed: 22,938,684). Filing ↗
18Section 06, 2025 voteForm 8-K2025-10-310001005286-25-000138Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 99.04% (votes for as printed: 24,642,130). Filing ↗
19Section 06, 2024 voteForm 8-K2024-11-080001005286-24-000163Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 99.32% (votes for as printed: 23,645,284). Filing ↗
20Section 03b vehicle mix (computed)ComputedcomputedRSU / PSU / Options grant-date fair values summed per officer from the grants table; % performance-vested = PSU ÷ (RSU+PSU+Options).machine: formula: sums + PSU ratio
21Section 09b board cost (computed)ComputedcomputedCash 411,667 + equity 1,200,008 + all other 0 = 1,611,675, summed across the director compensation table rows.machine: formula: Σ = 1,611,675
22ANI Pharma, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-090001023024-26-000039CEO total compensation as printed in ANI Pharma's own proxy. As printed: 10,278,620. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c48 · span 484144–484154
23Artivion, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-010001999371-26-007510CEO total compensation as printed in Artivion's own proxy. As printed: 6,883,108. Filing ↗machine: r3 · c9 · span 741873–741882
24OraSure Tech, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-300001116463-26-000032CEO total compensation as printed in OraSure Tech's own proxy. As printed: 4,292,228. Filing ↗machine: t152 · r2 · c21 · span 850376–850385
25ReGenXBio, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-140001193125-26-155058CEO total compensation as printed in ReGenXBio's own proxy. As printed: 4,200,712. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c16 · span 436444–436453
26Cerus, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-220001020214-26-000011CEO total compensation as printed in Cerus's own proxy. As printed: 3,794,657. Filing ↗machine: span 1301658–1301667
27Surmodics, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2024-12-190000950170-24-138240CEO total compensation as printed in Surmodics's own proxy. As printed: 3,665,496. Filing ↗machine: t109 · r3 · c25 · span 1568790–1568799
28Aclaris Therapeutics, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-230001104659-26-047262CEO total compensation as printed in Aclaris Therapeutics's own proxy. As printed: 3,375,591. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c14 · span 317880–317889
29Codexis, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-280001193125-26-186994CEO total compensation as printed in Codexis's own proxy. As printed: 2,323,279. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c27 · span 319928–319937
30Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\ (subject), Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-240001005286-26-000012CEO total compensation as printed in Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\'s own proxy. As printed: 1,115,305. Filing ↗
31Section 10a, ANI Pharma reciprocityDEF 14A0001023024-26-000039ANI Pharma's most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\. Filing ↗
32Section 10a, OraSure Tech reciprocityDEF 14A0001116463-26-000032OraSure Tech names Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\ in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
33Section 10a, Artivion reciprocityDEF 14A0001999371-26-007510Artivion's most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\. Filing ↗
34Section 10a, Surmodics reciprocityDEF 14A0000950170-24-138240Surmodics's most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\. Filing ↗
35Section 10a, Cerus reciprocityDEF 14A0001020214-26-000011Cerus's most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Lifecore Biomedical, INC. \DE\. Filing ↗