Velarion · Company Intelligence
Compensation Brief
Fiscal year 2026 · Filings through 2026-07-31

Methode Electronics (MEI)

Fiscal year 2026 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.

$8,090,755
Jonathan DeGaynor total, FY2026
69th
CEO pay percentile vs peers
678:1
CEO-to-median pay ratio
89.6%
Say-on-pay support, latest vote
Companies that benchmark against MEI
19 companies name MEI as a compensation peer

Each company listed discloses MEI 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 MEI 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 2026

Named executive officerSalaryBonusStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension / NQDCAll otherTotal
Jonathan DeGaynor$1,018,269$0$4,456,045$0$2,562,500$0$53,941$8,090,755
President and Chief Executive Officer
Laura Kowalchik610,96201,062,1970844,549032,0762,549,784
Chief Financial Officer
Lars Ullrich495,8270768,9300755,250014,7332,034,740
Senior Vice President, Global Automotive Business
Kerry Vyverberg459,801425,000401,4270561,451018,0261,865,705
General Counsel
John Erwin432,7650424,8800609,875019,5941,487,114
Chief Procurement and EHS 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 officerFY2026 totalFY2025 totalFY2024 totalΔ FY20252026
Jonathan DeGaynor$8,090,755$5,739,219+2,351,536
Laura Kowalchik2,549,7842,713,607−163,823
Lars Ullrich2,034,7401,068,684+966,056
Kerry Vyverberg1,865,705711,100596,512+1,154,605
John Erwin1,487,114943,599+543,515

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 2026

ExecutiveAwardGrant dateThresholdTargetGrantedMaximumGrant-date fair value
Lars UllrichPSU2025-08-0828,34556,68956,689113,378$768,930
Jonathan DeGaynorPSU2025-08-08164,260328,520328,520657,0404,456,045
John ErwinPSU2025-08-0815,66231,32431,32462,648424,879
Kerry VyverbergPSU2025-08-0814,79829,59529,59559,190401,427
Laura KowalchikPSU2025-08-0839,15578,31078,310156,6201,062,197
03b

Vehicle mix — grant-date fair value by award type

Named executive officerTime-vested (RSU)Performance-vested (PSU)Options / SARs% performance-vested
Lars Ullrich$0$768,930$0100.0%
Jonathan DeGaynor04,456,0450100.0%
John Erwin0424,8790100.0%
Kerry Vyverberg0401,4270100.0%
Laura Kowalchik01,062,1970100.0%

% 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 2026

ExecutiveAwardShares unvestedExercise priceMarket value unvested
Jonathan DeGaynorPSU467,278$4,032,609
John ErwinRSU49,762429,446
Laura KowalchikPSU122,1311,053,991
Laura KowalchikRSU142,5811,230,474
Kerry VyverbergRSU34,434297,165
John ErwinPSU42,480366,602
Jonathan DeGaynorRSU377,6703,259,292
Lars UllrichRSU82,535712,277
Lars UllrichPSU69,233597,481
Kerry VyverbergPSU29,595255,405
05

Incentive-plan design — the Compensation Discussion & Analysis

Our executive compensation program is intended to support the Company's strategy and reinforce the following principles: Provide competitive compensation opportunities; Link annual incentives to key financial results; Align long-term equity awards with stockholder returns; Encourage long-term ownership of Company stock.

CEO STI target (% of salary)125%
CEO LTI target (% of salary)
Independent consultantFrederic W. Cook & Co., Inc.
Clawback policyTrue
Anti-hedgingTrue
Anti-pledgingTrue
06

Say-on-pay — recent advisory votes

Meeting yearMeeting dateForAgainstAbstainSupportOutcome
20252025-09-1724,480,0532,779,09560,87489.6%Passed
20242024-09-1126,208,523910,12646,06196.48%Passed
20232023-09-1331,368,5151,010,10017,57096.83%Passed
20222022-09-1425,508,8248,092,13652,59475.8%Passed
20212021-09-1518,684,58515,906,10724,27753.98%Passed
20202020-09-1632,138,6381,184,439421,90795.24%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
20252025-09-1789.6%a
20242024-09-1196.48%b
20232023-09-1396.83%c

a. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “Consequently, abstentions have the effect of voting against each of Proposals 1, 2 and 3, while broker non-votes will have no effect as to voting for or against Proposal 1 or Proposal 3.‎ What constitutes a quorum? ‎ The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Methode's common ‎stock is necessary to constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting.”.

b. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “Consequently, abstentions have the effect of voting against each of Proposals 1, 2 and 3, while broker non-votes will have no effect as to voting for or against Proposal 1 or Proposal 3.‎ What is a "broker non-vote"? A "broker non-vote" occurs when a nominee holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote on a proposal because the nominee has not received instructions from the beneficial owner‎ and does not have discretionary voting power.”.

c. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “Consequently, abstentions have the effect of voting against each of Proposals 1, 2 and 3, while broker non-votes will have no effect as to voting for or against Proposal 1 or Proposal 3.‎ Proposal 4 asks stockholders to select a preferred voting frequency for future advisory votes on executive compensation by selecting the option of every one year, every two years or every three years.”.

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)678 : 1
CEO total compensation$8,090,756
Median employee compensation$11,926
08

Director compensation — fiscal year 2026

DirectorCash feesStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentiveAll otherTotal
Mark D. SchwaberoIndependent · Board Chair · Audit · Nominating/Governance$219,000$140,000$359,000
David P. BlomIndependent · Audit · Compensation128,000140,000268,000
Mary A. LindseyIndependent · Audit (Chair) · Compensation128,000140,000268,000
Brian J. CadwalladerIndependent · Compensation · Nominating/Governance (Chair)124,000140,000264,000
Therese M. BobekIndependent · Audit · Nominating/Governance124,000140,000264,000
Bruce K. CrowtherIndependent · Compensation (Chair)104,000140,000244,000
Jonathan B. DeGaynorEmployee director · Partial-year service00000
09

Board fee structure and ownership guideline

Annual cash retainer$80,000
Annual equity retainer$140,000
Per board meeting fee
Committee chair fees (audit / comp / nom-gov)
Stock ownership guideline$400,000
09b

Total cost of the board

ComponentFY2026
Cash retainers and fees$827,000
Equity awards (grant-date value)$840,000
All other compensation$0
Total cost of the board$1,667,000

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

10

Disclosed peer group — fiscal year 2026

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

10a

Peer reciprocity

Of the companies Methode Electronics 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.

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 Methode Electronics.

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
1Littelfuse, Inc.2025Gregory Henderson$895,833$16,820,241$0$1,722,945$19,595,398
2Gentherm Incorporated2025William Presley950,0007,804,91001,487,93812,966,927
3Fabrinet2025Seamus Grady1,350,0007,950,24902,208,65411,944,135
4Knowles Corporation2025Jeffrey Niew750,0006,844,77301,050,3008,674,916
5Methode Electronics2026Jonathan DeGaynor1,018,2694,456,04502,562,5008,090,755
6Belden Corporation2025Ashish Chand1,025,0005,341,96201,149,0947,648,088
7OSI Systems, Inc.2025Ajay Mehra621,4485,269,72001,500,0007,512,141
8Benchmark Electronics, Inc.2025Jeffrey Benck1,025,8855,000,00001,278,5707,411,869
9TTM Technologies, Inc.2025Edwin Roks303,8464,059,4930757,4385,120,777
10Franklin Electric Company, Inc.2025Joseph Ruzynski900,0002,624,984875,116558,9005,072,064
11CTS Corporation2025Kieran O'Sullivan856,3202,900,0490975,7804,758,899
12Kimball Electronics, Inc.2025Richard Phillips873,6542,883,070178,2253,982,601
13Stoneridge, Inc.2025James Zizelman900,0002,256,6210405,0003,593,069
14Rogers Corporation2025Ali El-Haj558,8881,582,485002,504,583
Modine Manufacturing Companynot in coverage universe
Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc.not 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
Methode Electronics200%RSU 50 · PSU 50Yes — Total Shareholder Return (TSR)Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc.
Belden Corporation85%PSU 50 · RSU 50NoMeridian Compensation Partners LLC
Benchmark Electronics, Inc.95.87%PSU 50 · RSU 50NoPearl Meyer & Partners, LLC
Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc.not disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
CTS Corporation112.8%not disclosedYes — Relative Total Shareholder Return (RTSR) ModifierExequity, LLP
Fabrinet117%PSU 67 · RSU 33NoCompensia, Inc.
Franklin Electric Company, Inc.62.1%PSU 50 · RSU 25 · Options 25NoMeridian Compensation Partners, LLC
Gentherm Incorporated125.3%PSU 70 · RSU 30NoMeridian Compensation Partners
Kimball Electronics, Inc.20.4%PSU 60 · RSU 40Yes — rTSR relative to Peers (Russell 2000 Electronic Components Subsector)Aon
Knowles Corporation116.7%PSU 55 · RSU 45NoCompensia, Inc.
Littelfuse, Inc.not disclosednot disclosednot disclosedCompensation Strategies, Inc.
Modine Manufacturing Companynot disclosednot disclosednot disclosednot disclosed
OSI Systems, Inc.not disclosedPSU 100NoPearl Meyer
Rogers Corporation5.94%PSU 60 · RSU 40NoCompensia
Stoneridge, Inc.45%PSU 55 · RSU 45Yes — Total Shareholder Return (TSR)Meridian Compensation Partners
TTM Technologies, Inc.183%PSU 70 · RSU 30Yes — Relative TSRExequity

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, Jonathan DeGaynorDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Summary Compensation Table”. As printed: 8,090,755. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c22 · span 718592–718601
2Section 01, Laura KowalchikDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Summary Compensation Table”. As printed: 2,549,784. Filing ↗machine: r4 · c22 · span 728083–728092
3Section 01, Lars UllrichDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Summary Compensation Table”. As printed: 2,034,740. Filing ↗machine: r6 · c22 · span 737663–737672
4Section 01, Kerry VyverbergDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Summary Compensation Table”. As printed: 1,865,705. Filing ↗machine: r10 · c22 · span 756781–756790
5Section 01, John ErwinDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Summary Compensation Table”. As printed: 1,487,114. Filing ↗machine: r8 · c22 · span 747274–747283
6Section 03, Lars Ullrich PSUDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Grants of Plan-Based Awards” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: t120 · r8 · c25 · span 867799–867806
7Section 03, Jonathan DeGaynor PSUDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Grants of Plan-Based Awards” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: t120 · r4 · c25 · span 841947–841956
8Section 03, John Erwin PSUDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Grants of Plan-Based Awards” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: t120 · r10 · c25 · span 880010–880017
9Section 03, Kerry Vyverberg PSUDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Grants of Plan-Based Awards” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: t120 · r12 · c25 · span 892508–892515
10Section 03, Laura Kowalchik PSUDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Grants of Plan-Based Awards” · grants of plan-based awards table. Filing ↗machine: t120 · r6 · c25 · span 854102–854111
11Section 07, pay ratioDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “CEO Pay Ratio”. As printed: 678 : 1. Filing ↗machine: span 1133668–1133671
12Section 08, Mark D. SchwaberoDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 359,000. Filing ↗
13Section 08, David P. BlomDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 268,000. Filing ↗
14Section 08, Mary A. LindseyDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 268,000. Filing ↗
15Section 08, Brian J. CadwalladerDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 264,000. Filing ↗
16Section 08, Therese M. BobekDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 264,000. Filing ↗
17Section 08, Bruce K. CrowtherDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 244,000. Filing ↗
18Section 08, Jonathan B. DeGaynorDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 0. Filing ↗
19Section 06, 2025 voteForm 8-K2025-09-180000065270-25-000007Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 89.6% (votes for as printed: 24,480,053). Filing ↗
20Section 06, 2024 voteForm 8-K2024-09-120000950170-24-106001Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 96.48% (votes for as printed: 26,208,523). Filing ↗
21Section 06, 2023 voteForm 8-K2023-09-180000950170-23-048467Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 96.83% (votes for as printed: 31,368,515). Filing ↗
22Section 01 trend, Δ column (computed)ComputedcomputedΔ = current-FY total − prior-FY total per named officer.machine: formula: Δ = FY(n) − FY(n−1)
23Section 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
24Section 09b board cost (computed)ComputedcomputedCash 827,000 + equity 840,000 + all other 0 = 1,667,000, summed across the director compensation table rows.machine: formula: Σ = 1,667,000
25Littelfuse, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-120001140361-26-009256CEO total compensation as printed in Littelfuse, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 19,595,398. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c28 · span 1003276–1003287
26Gentherm Incorporated, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-010001140361-26-012756CEO total compensation as printed in Gentherm Incorporated's own proxy. As printed: 12,966,927. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c8 · span 903625–903635
27Fabrinet, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2025-10-230001140361-25-039008CEO total compensation as printed in Fabrinet's own proxy. As printed: 11,944,135. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c19 · span 1084018–1084028
28Knowles Corporation, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-110001587523-26-000010CEO total compensation as printed in Knowles Corporation's own proxy. As printed: 8,674,916. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c21 · span 691533–691542
29Methode Electronics (subject), Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-07-310001140361-26-030317CEO total compensation as printed in Methode Electronics's own proxy. As printed: 8,090,755. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c22 · span 718592–718601
30Belden Corporation, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-090000913142-26-000011CEO total compensation as printed in Belden Corporation's own proxy. As printed: 7,648,088. Filing ↗machine: r4 · c27 · span 869845–869854
31OSI Systems, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2025-10-220001104659-25-101517CEO total compensation as printed in OSI Systems, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 7,512,141. Filing ↗machine: r1 · c54 · span 1051906–1051915
32Benchmark Electronics, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-170001193125-26-161703CEO total compensation as printed in Benchmark Electronics, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 7,411,869. Filing ↗machine: r4 · c25 · span 1354584–1354593
33TTM Technologies, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-190001193125-26-115993CEO total compensation as printed in TTM Technologies, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 5,120,777. Filing ↗machine: t73 · r2 · c15 · span 1325060–1325069
34Franklin Electric Company, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-250000038725-26-000017CEO total compensation as printed in Franklin Electric Company, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 5,072,064. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c30 · span 440975–440984
35CTS Corporation, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-020001193125-26-140010CEO total compensation as printed in CTS Corporation's own proxy. As printed: 4,758,899. Filing ↗
36Kimball Electronics, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2025-09-250001606757-25-000046CEO total compensation as printed in Kimball Electronics, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 3,982,601. Filing ↗machine: span 801034–801043
37Stoneridge, Inc., Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-04-090001043337-26-000038CEO total compensation as printed in Stoneridge, Inc.'s own proxy. As printed: 3,593,069. Filing ↗machine: span 569049–569058
38Rogers Corporation, Section 10b CEO totalDEF 14A2026-03-240001140361-26-010927CEO total compensation as printed in Rogers Corporation's own proxy. As printed: 2,504,583. Filing ↗machine: r2 · c22 · span 664816–664826
39Section 10a, OSI Systems, Inc. reciprocityDEF 14A0001104659-25-101517OSI Systems, Inc. names Methode Electronics in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
40Section 10a, Kimball Electronics, Inc. reciprocityDEF 14A0001606757-25-000046Kimball Electronics, Inc. names Methode Electronics in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
41Section 10a, Belden Corporation reciprocityDEF 14A0000913142-26-000011Belden Corporation's most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Methode Electronics. Filing ↗
42Section 10a, Stoneridge, Inc. reciprocityDEF 14A0001043337-26-000038Stoneridge, Inc. names Methode Electronics in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
43Section 10a, Franklin Electric Company, Inc. reciprocityDEF 14A0000038725-26-000017Franklin Electric Company, Inc.'s most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Methode Electronics. Filing ↗
44Section 10a, Rogers Corporation reciprocityDEF 14A0001140361-26-010927Rogers Corporation's most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Methode Electronics. Filing ↗
45Section 10a, CTS Corporation reciprocityDEF 14A0001193125-26-140010CTS Corporation names Methode Electronics in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
46Section 10a, Knowles Corporation reciprocityDEF 14A0001587523-26-000010Knowles Corporation names Methode Electronics in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
47Section 10a, Littelfuse, Inc. reciprocityDEF 14A0001140361-26-009256Littelfuse, Inc. names Methode Electronics in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗
48Section 10a, Benchmark Electronics, Inc. reciprocityDEF 14A0001193125-26-161703Benchmark Electronics, Inc.'s most recent proxy was read; its disclosed peer group does not include Methode Electronics. Filing ↗
49Section 10a, Gentherm Incorporated reciprocityDEF 14A0001140361-26-012756Gentherm Incorporated names Methode Electronics in its own disclosed peer group (read from its most recent proxy). Filing ↗