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Meeting calendar
AGEN · Annual meeting · Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Agenus Inc

2 nominees · 7 ballot items.

Seven items: election of two Class II directors; ESPP amendment to increase shares from 150,000 to 200,000; increase 2019 Equity Incentive Plan share pool by 5,000,000; one-time option exchange with premium strike for executives/directors; non-binding advisory vote on 2025 executive compensation (Say-on-Pay); ratification of KPMG LLP as independent auditors; and consideration of any other business properly presented.

Market cap
$258M
1Y TSR
-31.0%
Board grade
C-
Record date
Apr 22, 2026
Filing
DEF 14A
Meeting concluded · Jun 16, 2026

Follow how the vote landed and what changed on Agenus Inc’s board — director track records, governance grades, and ongoing monitoring — on the Boardroom Alpha platform.

Proposals

On the ballot7

  1. 1

    Election of Class II Directors (Garo Armen and Jennifer Buell

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Elect Garo H. Armen and Jennifer Buell as Class II directors for three-year terms expiring at the 2029 annual meeting.

  2. 2

    Amendment to 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan to increase authorized shares from 150,000 to 200,000

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Approve an amendment to the 2019 ESPP to increase the share reserve by 50,000 shares to sustain employee participation.

    More detail

    Proposal 2 asks shareholders to approve an amendment to the Company’s 2019 Employee Stock Purchase Plan to increase the authorized share reserve by 50,000 shares (from 150,000 to 200,000). Management frames this as a practical, low-dilution request to sustain a broadly used employee benefit and notes the existing pool has been largely consumed due to participation and historically higher share price. The Board argues the ESPP promotes employee ownership and retention and is administered to meet Section 423 tax-qualified rules; the requested increase is positioned as necessary to avoid interruption of the program. Approving the amendment would preserve the Company’s ability to offer discounted, periodic purchase periods and maintain an alignment mechanism used in lieu of higher cash compensation. Key risks for investors are modest incremental dilution and the possibility the expanded program increases share overhang, but management contends the incremental 50,000 shares is small relative to outstanding shares and necessary to sustain workforce participation. The proposal is routine governance-level equity administration rather than a compensation change for executives; the Board recommends FOR because of employee retention, morale, and alignment benefits and because the ESPP is standard practice for public companies. If rejected, the Company may be forced to suspend or curtail the program, which could affect recruitment and retention.

  3. 3

    Amendment to 2019 Equity Incentive Plan to increase share pool by 5,000,000

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Approve an amendment to increase the 2019 Equity Incentive Plan share reserve by 5,000,000 shares to support equity compensation, bonuses in equity, hires, and retention.

    More detail

    Proposal 3 requests shareholder approval to increase the 2019 EIP share pool by 5,000,000 shares (≈12% of outstanding shares) to fund near-term obligations including payment of 2025 bonuses in options, 2026–2027 annual grants, inducement awards for key hires, and ongoing equity elections by executives. Management frames the increase as essential to retain talent during execution of the BATTMAN Phase 3, to preserve cash by using equity rather than cash, and to avoid creating separate ad hoc plans. The board discloses metrics on current outstanding options, burn rate and remaining shares, and emphasizes governance safeguards (no discounted options, no repricing without shareholder approval, minimum vesting, limits on director awards, no liberal share recycling) to limit shareholder dilution and misuse. Key investor considerations include near-term dilution and overhang vs. the operational need to maintain a motivated workforce through clinical and regulatory milestones; management argues the increase is sized prudently relative to needs and peer practice. The proposal is management-driven and the board recommends FOR because insufficient shares would force trade-offs that could jeopardize execution and retention.

  4. 4

    One-time option exchange under 2019 EIP, 2009 Plan and 2015 Inducement Plan (premium strike for directors and executive officers

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Approve a one-for-one exchange of eligible underwater options for new options with tiered strike: 150% of FMV for non-employee directors and executive officers; 100% of FMV for all other eligible holders.

    More detail

    Proposal 4 requests approval for a one-time, automatic, one-for-one exchange of eligible underwater options for new options with a tiered strike: executives and non-employee directors receive replacement options struck at 150% of the Exchange Date closing price (Tier 1), while all other eligible employees and consultants receive replacement options struck at 100% of the Exchange Date closing price (Tier 2). Management argues the exchange restores meaningful retention and incentive value across the organization without increasing the aggregate option count, and that the 150% premium for directors and executives aligns senior stakeholders with shareholder upside by requiring ≈50% stock appreciation before Tier 1 holders realize value. The proposal trades immediate dilution (none in option count, but potential future dilution upon exercise) and accounting expense for restored incentive value and retention; critics might argue management and directors still benefit and that large-scale exchanges can re-price historic grants. The board recommends FOR, citing operational milestones, the need to retain staff for Phase 3 execution and filings, and the compensating 150% executive/director premium.

  5. 5

    Advisory vote to approve 2025 executive compensation (Say-on-Pay

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Non-binding advisory vote to approve the compensation of the Company's named executive officers for 2025 as disclosed in the proxy statement.

    More detail

    Proposal 5 is a non-binding advisory approval of 2025 named executive officer compensation, presented in the context of an equity-heavy, cash-preserving program. Management emphasizes base salaries were unchanged, bonuses were paid in options to conserve cash, and meaningful realized compensation is equity-based (including executive elections to receive salary/bonuses in stock/options) to align pay with long-term shareholder returns. The Board cites the achievement of clinical, regulatory and commercial milestones, reduced burn and strategic transactions as justification for their compensation decisions. For investors evaluating governance, considerations include the pay-for-performance linkage via equity, potential dilution from equity awards, and the advisory (non-binding) nature of the vote; the Board will consider the result when setting future pay.

  6. 6

    Ratify appointment of KPMG LLP as independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2026

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Ratify the Audit and Finance Committee’s selection of KPMG LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2026.

  7. 7

    Consideration of any other business properly coming before the meeting

    Management

    To consider any other business that may properly come before the 2026 Annual Meeting, including adjournments or postponements.

Director elections

Nominees on the ballot2

Not independent
Tenure on this board
32.6 yrs
Also a director at
Mink Therapeutics Inc (INKT)
Not independent
Tenure on this board
2.1 yrs
Also a director at
Mink Therapeutics Inc (INKT)
Ownership

Top institutional holders10

Latest 13F quarter
1VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC3.5%1,440,232$5M
2VANGUARD PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT LLC2.9%1,195,109$4M
3Siren, L.L.C.2.6%1,064,250$4M
4MARSHALL WACE, LLP1.5%643,969$2M
5BlackRock, Inc.1.0%403,818$1M
6RENAISSANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC0.7%285,646$954K
7Man Group plc0.7%278,980$932K
8GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC0.7%273,421$914K
9MORGAN STANLEY0.6%239,649$800K
10RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL INC0.6%238,750$797K
Filings

Recent key filings

Periodic reports
Definitive proxies
Reference

Frequently asked questions

When is the Agenus Inc 2026 annual meeting?
Agenus Inc (AGEN) holds its 2026 annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
What is the record date for the Agenus Inc 2026 meeting?
The record date for the Agenus Inc 2026 meeting is Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Shareholders of record on or before that date are eligible to vote.
Who are the director nominees for Agenus Inc's 2026 meeting?
The board is presenting 2 director nominees at the Agenus Inc 2026 meeting, listed with their independence status and background.
What proposals will shareholders vote on at the Agenus Inc 2026 meeting?
Shareholders will vote on 7 proposals at the Agenus Inc 2026 meeting, each tagged with who proposed it and the board's recommendation.
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