STOCK TITAN

Hexcel (NYSE: HXL) OKs 3,015,000-share LTIP and names lead director

Filing Impact
(High)
Filing Sentiment
(Neutral)
Form Type
8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Hexcel Corporation reported results from its 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Stockholders approved an amended Long-Term Incentive Plan that authorizes 3,015,000 shares of common stock for equity awards, including incentive stock options, with adjustments permitted for certain corporate events and share-counting rules.

The plan also limits the combined grant date fair value of equity awards plus maximum cash payable to any non-employee director to $750,000 per calendar year. All director nominees received strong support, with vote totals in the tens of millions of shares. Following the meeting, independent directors appointed Guy C. Hachey as lead independent director.

Positive

  • None.

Negative

  • None.
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders Governance
Results of a shareholder vote on proposals at an annual or special meeting.
Item 8.01 Other Events Other
Voluntary disclosure of events the company deems important to shareholders but not covered by other items.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
LTIP share authorization 3,015,000 shares Common stock authorized for awards under Long-Term Incentive Plan
Non-employee director annual cap $750,000 Maximum combined equity grant value and cash per director per year
Votes for Thomas C. Gentile III 64,541,525 shares Director election "For" votes at 2026 Annual Meeting
Votes for James J. Cannon 67,630,574 shares "For" votes in director election
Votes for Neal J. Keating 67,652,856 shares "For" votes in director election
Broker non-votes (director slate row) 3,284,116 shares Broker non-votes reported alongside director election results
Proposal vote example 69,376,870 For; 1,947,799 Against; 29,420 Abstain One shareholder proposal’s voting results
Long-Term Incentive Plan financial
"stockholders of Hexcel Corporation approved the Hexcel Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the LTIP"
A long-term incentive plan is a company program that pays executives or employees with stock, options, or cash tied to multi-year performance goals, where the rewards become theirs only after meeting conditions over time. Think of it as a delayed bonus or retirement-style reward that aligns employees’ interests with shareholders by encouraging them to boost long-term value; investors watch these plans because they affect pay costs, share dilution and management incentives.
incentive stock options financial
"authorize 3,015,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for awards under the plan, including incentive stock options"
Incentive stock options are a type of employee stock option that gives eligible workers the right to buy company shares at a fixed price later on, often below future market value. They matter to investors because they align employee incentives with company performance, can dilute existing ownership when exercised, and create potential tax advantages for option holders if certain holding-time rules are met — think of them as a coupon to buy stock at today’s price with extra tax rules attached.
grant date fair value financial
"the sum of the grant date fair value of all equity-based awards, and the maximum amount of cash that may become payable"
The grant date fair value is the estimated dollar worth of a stock-based award (such as stock options or restricted shares) at the exact moment it is given to an employee or contractor. Investors care because companies use that value to record compensation expenses and to show how much potential ownership and earnings dilution those awards could create—think of it as the price tag placed on a gift card when it is handed over so the company can report the cost now.
non-employee director financial
"for services as a non-employee director during any calendar year may not exceed $750,000"
lead independent director financial
"appointed Guy C. Hachey, effective immediately following the 2026 Annual Meeting, to serve as the Company’s lead independent director"
A lead independent director is a board member who is not part of company management and is chosen to coordinate and represent the other independent directors, often running sessions without the CEO, helping set meeting agendas, and serving as a liaison between shareholders and the board. For investors, this role signals stronger, more balanced oversight—like a neutral referee who helps ensure decisions are fair, transparent and focused on protecting shareholder interests.
broker non-votes financial
"For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non-Votes 64,723,298 | 3,258,394 | 88,281 | 3,284,116"
Broker non-votes occur when a brokerage firm is unable to vote on a shareholder’s behalf during a company election or decision because the shareholder has not given specific voting instructions, and the broker is not allowed or chooses not to vote on certain matters. They are important because they can affect the outcome of votes, especially when the results are close, by effectively reducing the total number of votes cast.

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d)
of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 14, 2026

Hexcel Corporation
 (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware
001-8472
94-1109521
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)
(Commission File Number)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Two Stamford Plaza
281 Tresser Boulevard
Stamford, Connecticut 06901-3238
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

(203) 969-0666
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:


Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)


Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)


Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))


Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class
 
Trading symbol(s)
 
Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock
 
HXL
 
New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐



Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

As described below in Item 5.07 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, at the 2026 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2026 Annual Meeting”) held on May 14, 2026, the stockholders of Hexcel Corporation (the “Company”) approved the Hexcel Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the LTIP (the “LTIP”), which had previously been approved by the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), subject to stockholder approval, to (i) replace the Company’s 2013 Incentive Stock Plan, as amended, (ii) authorize 3,015,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for awards under the plan, including incentive stock options, with such amount subject to adjustment for certain corporate events and under the applicable share counting rules, and (iii) provide that the sum of the grant date fair value of all equity-based awards, and the maximum amount of cash that may become payable, to any individual for services as a non-employee director during any calendar year may not exceed $750,000.

A summary of the LTIP is included in Proposal 4 of the Company’s proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 1, 2026 (including the supplement dated April 20, 2026, the “Proxy Statement”), which summary is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. The summary of the LTIP in the Proxy Statement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the full text of the LTIP, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 5.07
Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders.

The final voting results from the 2026 Annual Meeting are as follows:


(i)           The stockholders elected all of the Company’s nominees for director as follows:

Name of Director
For
Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
Thomas C. Gentile III
64,541,525
3,456,730
71,718
3,284,116
James J. Cannon
67,630,574
410,532
28,867
3,284,116
Cynthia M. Egnotovich
61,098,948
6,947,773
23,252
3,284,116
Guy C. Hachey
63,960,769
4,079,752
29,452
3,284,116
Dr. Patricia A. Hubbard
67,256,597
778,287
35,089
3,284,116
Neal J. Keating
67,652,856
370,454
46,663
3,284,116
David H. Li
67,614,563
429,966
25,444
3,284,116
Nick L. Stanage
65,844,705
2,198,387
26,881
3,284,116
Catherine A. Suever
67,637,629
406,555
25,789
3,284,116


 (ii)
The stockholders, on an advisory, non-binding basis, approved the 2025 compensation of the Company’s named executive officers as follows:

For
Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
64,723,298
3,258,394
88,281
3,284,116


 (iii)
The stockholders ratified the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2026 as follows:

For
Against
Abstain
69,376,870
1,947,799
29,420


(iv)
The stockholders approved the LTIP as follows:

For
Against
Abstain
Broker Non-Votes
63,629,417
4,394,949
45,607
3,284,116


Item 8.01
Other Events.

Appointment of Lead Independent Director

The Company’s independent directors appointed Guy C. Hachey, effective immediately following the 2026 Annual Meeting, to serve as the Company’s lead independent director. Originally from Montreal, Canada and fluent in French, Mr. Hachey is an accomplished global executive leader with more than three decades of experience in global manufacturing, operations, and strategy, including as President and Chief Operating Officer of Bombardier Aerospace, Inc. (“Bombardier”) from May 2008 until his retirement in September 2014. Prior to joining Bombardier in Canada, Mr. Hachey started his career in Canada, worked in the United States for 15 years, and then lived and worked in Europe for three years overseeing Delphi Corporation Europe, Middle East and Africa.  Mr. Hachey has been a member of the Board and its compensation committee since October 2014, and a member of its nominating, governance and sustainability committee since May 2024.  He has also served as the chair of the Board’s compensation committee since February 2020. Mr. Hachey has held other public company directorships, including with Meggitt, plc from 2019 through 2022 and Melrose Industries PLC since September 2025, where he currently serves on the company’s renumeration committee and nomination committee. As the lead independent director, Mr. Hachey brings his existing institutional knowledge, leadership continuity, and significant knowledge and experience in executive leadership, overseeing operational and management issues relevant to the global manufacturing environment, as well as in-depth experience in overseeing executive compensation and corporate governance as a public company director.  A summary of the lead independent director responsibilities and authorities is included in Proposal 1 of the Proxy Statement under the heading “Board Leadership Structure.”
 
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 
(d)
Exhibits

Exhibit
Number
 
Description
10.1*
 
Hexcel Corporation Long-Term Incentive Plan (conformed to incorporate Amendment No.1 and effective May 14, 2026)
104
 
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

* Management contract, compensatory plan or arrangement.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Dated: May 15, 2026
 
   
 
HEXCEL CORPORATION
   
 
By:
/s/ Gail E. Lehman
 
Name: Gail E. Lehman
 
Title: Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and Sustainability Officer, and Secretary



FAQ

What did Hexcel (HXL) stockholders approve at the 2026 Annual Meeting?

Hexcel stockholders approved an amended Long-Term Incentive Plan authorizing 3,015,000 shares for equity awards. The plan also sets an annual $750,000 cap on total compensation for any non-employee director, combining equity grant value and maximum cash.

How many Hexcel (HXL) shares are authorized under the new Long-Term Incentive Plan?

The amended Long-Term Incentive Plan authorizes 3,015,000 shares of Hexcel common stock for awards. These shares may be used for various equity incentives and can be adjusted under specified corporate events and share-counting rules described in the plan.

What is the new compensation cap for Hexcel (HXL) non-employee directors?

Hexcel’s plan limits each non-employee director’s annual compensation to $750,000. This cap covers the sum of grant date fair value of all equity-based awards plus the maximum amount of cash that may become payable for board service in a calendar year.

Who is Hexcel’s new lead independent director after the 2026 meeting?

Guy C. Hachey was appointed lead independent director effective after the 2026 Annual Meeting. He brings decades of global manufacturing and leadership experience, including serving as President and Chief Operating Officer of Bombardier Aerospace and holding several public company board roles.

Were Hexcel (HXL) director nominees elected at the 2026 Annual Meeting?

All listed Hexcel director nominees received strong shareholder support, with individual "For" vote counts exceeding 61 million shares. Broker non-votes were also recorded, but each nominee still obtained substantial backing to continue serving on the company’s board.

Where can investors find full details of Hexcel’s Long-Term Incentive Plan?

Details of Hexcel’s Long-Term Incentive Plan are summarized in Proposal 4 of its proxy statement filed April 1, 2026. The complete conformed plan text, incorporating Amendment No. 1 and effective May 14, 2026, is filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this report.

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

4 documents