Boardroom Alpha
Meeting calendar
BBBY · Annual meeting · Thursday, May 14, 2026

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc

7 nominees · 6 ballot items.

Stockholders will vote to elect seven directors; ratify KPMG LLP as auditor; approve, on an advisory basis, executive compensation (Say on Pay); approve an amendment to increase authorized common shares from 100M to 200M; approve an adjournment if needed to solicit additional proxies for certain proposals; and approve an amendment and restatement of the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan.

Market cap
$383M
1Y TSR
-33.9%
Board grade
C-
Record date
Mar 17, 2026
Filing
DEF 14A
Meeting concluded · May 14, 2026

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

Proposals

On the ballot6

  1. 1

    Election of Directors

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Election of seven nominees (Marcus A. Lemonis, Joanna C. Burkey, Barclay F. Corbus, William B. Nettles, Jr., Debra G. Perelman, Dr. Robert J. Shapiro, and Joseph J. Tabacco, Jr.) to serve as directors until the 2027 annual meeting.

  2. 2

    Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Ratification of the Audit Committee’s appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2026.

  3. 3

    Advisory Vote on the Compensation Paid by the Company to its Named Executive Officers (Say on Pay Vote

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Advisory (non-binding) vote to approve the compensation of the Company's named executive officers as disclosed in the Proxy Statement.

    More detail

    This advisory proposal asks stockholders to approve, on a non-binding basis, the compensation paid to the Company’s named executive officers as disclosed in the Proxy Statement. Management is seeking this advisory approval to gauge stockholder support for its pay programs and to demonstrate accountability and alignment between executive compensation and Company performance. The Compensation Discussion and Analysis details a pay-for-performance approach that emphasizes a substantial portion of at-risk compensation, including annual performance-based cash bonuses tied to Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Gross Margin, and Contribution Margin, and long-term equity awards composed of RSUs and performance shares. The Board and Compensation Committee explain that the structure is intended to attract and retain executives, motivate performance aligned with strategic objectives, and align management interests with long-term stockholder value. The Board notes that it considers stockholder feedback — citing prior engagement and the 2025 say-on-pay result (68.9% support) — and expects to use the advisory vote outcome when setting future compensation. Because the vote is advisory, it will not change pay contracts directly but will inform the Compensation Committee’s decisions; the Board recommends a FOR vote on that basis. The principal controversy centers on realized pay outcomes versus performance — management responds by pointing to program design, rigorous performance metrics, and changes made after investor engagement to strengthen alignment, while critics could argue realized pay and historical outcomes (including forfeitures and unearned awards) complicate assessments of appropriateness. For analysts evaluating the proposal, key considerations include the transparency of disclosed metrics and targets, the balance between time-based and performance-based equity, recent forfeitures and stock price‑linked awards (including the Lemonis performance-based options), and the Board’s responsiveness to investor feedback as evidenced by modifications to incentive design for 2026.

  4. 4

    Approval of an Amendment to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to Increase the Number of Authorized Shares of Common Stock (Share Increase Amendment

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Approve an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to increase authorized common stock from 100,000,000 shares to 200,000,000 shares.

    More detail

    This management proposal asks stockholders to approve an amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation to double the authorized common shares from 100 million to 200 million. Management seeks this authorization primarily to provide the Board with greater flexibility to manage the Company’s capital needs — including equity compensation, financings, stock dividends or splits, conversions of convertible securities, acquisitions, and similar corporate actions — without the delay and expense of convening a special stockholder meeting. The proxy provides a table showing current outstanding shares, reserved shares, and the effect on unreserved shares, illustrating that approval would increase unreserved shares available from approximately 14.3 million to about 114.3 million (subject to other reservations and contingent awards). The Board argues the amendment has no immediate effect on current stockholder rights but acknowledges additional authorized shares could be dilutive if issued; the company states it reserves the right not to proceed even if the amendment is approved. The filing states the Board did not propose the amendment with an intent to thwart takeover attempts, although it recognizes that additional authorized shares could under certain circumstances be used defensively. Analysts should evaluate this request in light of the company’s capital plan: whether the additional shares will primarily be used for equity-based compensation (they note the Restated Plan and contingent awards), to address potential acquisition opportunities (including the pending TBHC merger consideration), or to raise capital. Governance-conscious investors will weigh the dilution risk and the Board’s discretion against the operational benefits of quick access to authorized shares; the company highlights that NYSE rules and applicable law still constrain certain issuances and that stockholder approval would be required in specific circumstances, which somewhat limits the Board’s unilateral power. Given the company’s recent equity activity (warrants issued, merger-related reservations, and large contingent grants), the proposal’s timing and the Board’s stated rationales are key context for proxy voters and activists assessing dilution versus strategic necessity.

  5. 5

    Approval of an Adjournment of the Annual Meeting

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Approve an adjournment of the Annual Meeting, if necessary, to solicit additional proxies if there are not sufficient votes to approve Proposal 4 and/or Proposal 6 at the time of the meeting.

    More detail

    This management proposal requests a routine procedural authorization to adjourn the Annual Meeting to a later date to solicit additional proxies if there are insufficient votes to approve key proposals at the meeting — specifically the Share Increase Amendment (Proposal 4) and/or the Restated Equity Incentive Plan (Proposal 6). The adjournment authority is commonly sought to enable further outreach to holders, finalize votes, and achieve a quorum or required vote thresholds without calling a special meeting. Management frames the proposal as a practical governance measure to protect stockholder and company interests by allowing extra time for engagement and solicitation; the Board recommends a FOR vote. From an analyst perspective, the proposal raises no substantive governance change but is linked directly to the outcomes of Proposals 4 and 6 — both of which expand share availability and equity compensation authority; thus, investors who oppose those substantive measures may view the adjournment proposal as a facilitating mechanism. The proxy indicates the company does not expect significant broker non-votes on routine matters and that the adjournment proposal itself is routine; if the adjournment is used, the company plans to engage further with dissenting shareholders to explain and seek support for the contested proposals. The practical effect of approval would be to grant the Board flexibility to extend solicitation and avoid failing to implement proposals solely because of vote timing shortfalls.

  6. 6

    Approval of an Amendment and Restatement of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2005 Equity Incentive Plan

    ManagementBoard: FOR

    Approve an amendment and restatement of the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan to, among other changes, increase the share reserve by 4,291,000 shares and update plan terms, limits, and share recycling rules.

    More detail

    This management proposal seeks stockholder approval to amend and restate the Company’s 2005 Equity Incentive Plan to increase the share reserve by 4,291,000 shares and to update numerous technical and governance provisions. Management argues the Restated Plan is necessary to attract, retain and motivate employees and non-employee directors, continue a broad-based equity culture, and permit necessary grants in 2026 (including the Contingent Awards granted on March 11, 2026) without exhausting the Company’s equity resources. Key structural changes include expanded share recycling rules with reasonable limitations, materially increased per-participant annual grant limits across award types (raising option, SAR, RSU, restricted stock and performance share annual caps to 2,000,000), a 14 million-share overall limit for ISOs, clarified treatment for dividend equivalents, strengthened clawback/recoupment provisions tied to accounting restatements, and removal of legacy Section 162(m) language. The Compensation Committee and Board present metrics to justify the requested increase: the Company’s three-year average burn rate (2.2%) and a fully diluted overhang metric (about 5.4% as of March 10, 2026) and project the new reserve would extend share availability into 2027 under recent practices. The Restated Plan also contemplates the discontinuation of new grants under the Inducement Plan if approved, and contains anti-repricing safeguards, limits on awards to non-employee directors, and change-in-control protections (including double-trigger acceleration in certain circumstances). For analysts, the central evaluation points are the size and expected duration of the share reserve increase relative to historical burn, the inclusion of sizeable Contingent Awards (e.g., 1.5M RSUs and 600k performance shares to the CEO) that are subject to stockholder approval, and the balance between competitive grant flexibility and dilution risk; the Board frames the request as modest and essential for competitiveness, while stockholders should weigh potential dilution against retention and strategic needs.

Director elections

Nominees on the ballot7

Independent
Tenure on this board
1.3 yrs
Also a director at
Amc Global Media Inc (AMCX)Sally Beauty Holdings Inc (SBH)Sphere Entertainment Co (SPHR)
Ownership

Top institutional holders10

Latest 13F quarter
1Tidal Investments LLC8.2%6,039,111$28M
2VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC4.1%3,043,026$14M
3BlackRock, Inc.3.5%2,565,296$12M
4MARSHALL WACE, LLP3.4%2,480,120$12M
5BlackRock, Inc.2.5%1,844,658$9M
6VANGUARD PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT LLC2.2%1,619,930$8M
7GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INC2.0%1,514,574$7M
8GEODE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, LLC1.9%1,373,811$6M
9STATE STREET CORP1.8%1,300,458$6M
10MORGAN STANLEY1.6%1,169,488$5M
Filings

Recent key filings

Periodic reports
Definitive proxies
Reference

Frequently asked questions

When is the Bed Bath & Beyond Inc 2026 annual meeting?
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (BBBY) holds its 2026 annual shareholder meeting on Thursday, May 14, 2026.
What is the record date for the Bed Bath & Beyond Inc 2026 meeting?
The record date for the Bed Bath & Beyond Inc 2026 meeting is Tuesday, March 17, 2026. Shareholders of record on or before that date are eligible to vote.
Who are the director nominees for Bed Bath & Beyond Inc's 2026 meeting?
The board is presenting 7 director nominees at the Bed Bath & Beyond Inc 2026 meeting, listed with their independence status and background.
What proposals will shareholders vote on at the Bed Bath & Beyond Inc 2026 meeting?
Shareholders will vote on 6 proposals at the Bed Bath & Beyond Inc 2026 meeting, each tagged with who proposed it and the board's recommendation.
Disclaimer

The opinions and information contained herein have been obtained or derived from sources believed to be reliable, but Boardroom Alpha cannot guarantee its accuracy and completeness, and that of the opinions based thereon.

This report contains opinions and is provided for informational purposes only – it does not constitute investment, legal or tax advice. You should not rely solely upon the research herein for purposes of transacting securities or other investments, and you are encouraged to conduct your own research and due diligence, and to seek the advice of a qualified securities professional before you make any investment.

None of the information contained in this report constitutes, or is intended to constitute a recommendation by Boardroom Alpha of any particular security or trading strategy or a determination by Boardroom Alpha that any security or trading strategy is suitable for any specific person. To the extent any of the information contained herein may be deemed to be investment advice, such information is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person.

No representation or warranty, expressed or implied, is made on behalf of Boardroom Alpha as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein. Boardroom Alpha does not accept any liability for any direct, indirect or consequential loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of relying on all or any part of this research and any liability is expressly disclaimed.

Full disclaimer