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Should You Worry About Fuling Global Inc's (NASDAQ:FORK) CEO Salary Level?

Simply Wall St
Xinfu Hu took the helm as Fuling Global Inc's (NASDAQ:FORK) CEO and grew market cap to $69.22M recently. Recognizing whether CEO incentives are aligned with shareholders is a crucial part of investing. This is because, if incentives are aligned, more value is created for shareholders which directly impacts your returns as an investor. Today we will assess Hu’s pay and compare this to the company’s performance over the same period, as well as measure it against other US CEOs leading companies of similar size and profitability. Check out our latest analysis for Fuling Global

What has FORK's performance been like?

Profitability of a company is a strong indication of FORK's ability to generate returns on shareholders' funds through corporate activities. In this exercise, I will use profits as a proxy for Hu's performance. Most recently, FORK delivered an earnings of $5.4M , which is a rather significant decline from its prior year’s profit (excluding extraordinary items) of $8.6M. However, FORK has strived to maintain a good track record of profitability, given its average EPS of $0.55 over the past couple of years. In the situation of declining earnings, the company may be facing a period of reinvestment and growth, or it can be a sign of some headwind. In any event, CEO compensation should be reflective of the current state of the business. From the latest financial report, Hu's total compensation increased by a mere 2.63% to $20,841. Although I couldn't find information on the composition of Hu's pay, if some portion were non-cash items such as stocks and options, then fluctuations in FORK's share price can affect the true level of what the CEO actually collects at the end of the year.
NasdaqCM:FORK Income Statement Jan 25th 18

Is FORK's CEO overpaid relative to the market?

Despite the fact that there is no cookie-cutter approach, as compensation should be tailored to the specific company and market, we can evaluate a high-level base line to see if FORK deviates substantially from its peers. This outcome can help shareholders ask the right question about Hu’s incentive alignment. Normally, a US small-cap has a value of $1B, produces earnings of $96M, and remunerates its CEO at roughly $2.7M annually. Considering FORK's size and performance, in terms of market cap and earnings, it appears that Hu is paid less than the average US small-cap CEO.

Next Steps:

You can breathe easy knowing that shareholder funds aren't being used to overpay FORK's CEO. However, on the flipside, you should ask whether Hu is appropriately remunerated on the basis of retention. Its important for shareholders to be active in voting governance decisions, as board members are only representatives of investors' voices. If you have not done so already, I urge you to complete your research by taking a look at the following:

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Simply Wall St analyst Simply Wall St and Simply Wall St have no position in any of the companies mentioned. This article is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.