Hancock Whitney (HWC) executive compensation, 2026 proxy

John M. Hairston, President and CEO, was paid $6.3M in 2025, up 10% from $5.8M the year before. The CEO-to-median-employee pay ratio was 87:1, on median employee pay of $71,697.

Filed
March 17, 2026
Annual meeting
April 29, 2026
Pay year
2025
Named executives
5
CEO total pay
$6.3M+10% vs prior year
CEO to median employee
87:1median $71,697
CEO pay in equity
47%$3M in awards
CEO Target Bonus
$1,464,842Target incentive amount
Diluted EPS
$5.67Up from $5.28 in 2024
Total Net Income
$486.1MFull year 2025 net income
Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio
13.65%As of December 31, 2025
Efficiency Ratio
54.78%Improved from 55.36% in 2024

How Hairston was paid

$6.3M in total for 2025, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table. Equity awards are valued at grant, not at what they turned out to be worth.

Salary19%Stock awards47%Non-equity incentive28%Pension and deferred comp3%All other compensation2%

Named executive officers

ExecutiveTotal
John M. HairstonPresident and CEO$6,334,741
Michael M. AcharyChief Financial Officer$2,453,815
D. Shane LoperChief Operating Officer$3,426,875
Christopher S. ZilucaChief Credit Officer$1,599,098
Michael OteroChief Risk Officer$1,490,308

What changed and why

  • $6.3MCEO total compensation increased to $6,334,741 in 2025 compared to $5,769,326 in 2024.
  • $486.1MNet income grew to $486.1 million, or $5.67 per diluted share, in 2025.
  • $679.9MAdjusted pre-provision net revenue increased 6% year-over-year to $679.9 million in 2025.
  • 12.5%Common stock cash dividend increased by 12.5% to $0.45 per share in the first quarter of 2025.

About this page

Figures are automated and can be wrong; check the filing for the exact numbers. Totals follow SEC rules, which value stock and option awards at grant. Read the DEF 14A proxy statement for footnotes and the compensation committee's full reasoning.