Ethan Allen shareholders elect new directors and approve executive pay at annual meeting

The annual meeting of Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. shareholders took place on Wednesday, during which five directors were elected and executive compensation was approved. Out of 25,204,416 shares eligible to vote, 21,110,784 shares participated in person or by proxy. The contested election saw five nominees from the company's board and DGB Investment, Inc., along with affiliates, vie for the five open seats.

The successful nominees, Maria Eugenia Casar, Tara I. Stacom, Douglas G. Bergeron, Kristine E. Miller, and Stephen Oblak, each received over 13 million votes. Other nominees, such as M. Farooq Kathwari and Anna Brockway, fell short of the required votes. Shareholders also approved a non-binding advisory vote on the fiscal 2026 compensation for the company's executive officers, with a majority in favor of the proposed packages.

The appointment of CohnReznick LLP as the company's independent auditor for fiscal 2027 was also ratified, receiving a significant majority of votes. Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. recently announced a $3.00 per share special cash dividend, expected to be distributed to shareholders of record as of September 3, 2026. The company highlighted its debt-free financial position and CEO Farooq Kathwari addressed a proxy challenge from an activist investor, emphasizing the company's focus on long-term retail sales and in-person services.