Key Insights

• ACNB's Annual General Meeting to take place on 7th of May
• Salary of US$541.2k is part of CEO Jim Helt's total remuneration
• The total compensation is 45% higher than the average for the industry
• Over the past three years, ACNB's EPS grew by 3.4% and over the past three years, the total shareholder return was 26%

Under the guidance of CEO Jim Helt, ACNB Corporation (NASDAQ:ACNB) has performed reasonably well recently. As shareholders go into the upcoming AGM on 7th of May, CEO compensation will probably not be their focus, but rather the steps management will take to continue the growth momentum. However, some shareholders may still want to keep CEO compensation within reason.

How Does Total Compensation For Jim Helt Compare With Other Companies In The Industry?

At the time of writing, our data shows that ACNB Corporation has a market capitalization of US$278m, and reported total annual CEO compensation of US$1.6m for the year to December 2023. We note that's an increase of 62% above last year. While we always look at total compensation first, our analysis shows that the salary component is less, at US$541k.

On comparing similar companies from the American Banks industry with market caps ranging from US$100m to US$400m, we found that the median CEO total compensation was US$1.1m. Accordingly, our analysis reveals that ACNB Corporation pays Jim Helt north of the industry median. Moreover, Jim Helt also holds US$1.1m worth of ACNB stock directly under their own name.

On an industry level, roughly 45% of total compensation represents salary and 55% is other remuneration. ACNB sets aside a smaller share of compensation for salary, in comparison to the overall industry. If total compensation is slanted towards non-salary benefits, it indicates that CEO pay is linked to company performance.

A Look at ACNB Corporation's Growth Numbers

ACNB Corporation has seen its earnings per share (EPS) increase by 3.4% a year over the past three years. It saw its revenue drop 6.3% over the last year.

We would prefer it if there was revenue growth, but the modest improvement in EPS is good. In conclusion we can't form a strong opinion about business performance yet; but it's one worth watching. Moving away from current form for a second, it could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future.

Has ACNB Corporation Been A Good Investment?

ACNB Corporation has served shareholders reasonably well, with a total return of 26% over three years. But they probably don't want to see the CEO paid more than is normal for companies around the same size.

In Summary...

The company's decent performance might have made most shareholders happy, possibly making CEO remuneration the least of the concerns to be discussed in the upcoming AGM. However, if the board proposes to increase the compensation, some shareholders might have questions given that the CEO is already being paid higher than the industry.

Whatever your view on compensation, you might want to check if insiders are buying or selling ACNB shares (free trial).

Switching gears from ACNB, 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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.