Jacob K. Hawkins
FIVE BELOWAbout Jacob K. Hawkins
Jacob K. Hawkins is Five Below’s Chief Marketing and Omnichannel Officer, joining in March 2025; he is 59 years old. Prior roles include Chief Marketing Digital & Omni Officer at Forever 21 and Chief Marketing & Digital Officer at Belk, with a profile emphasizing customer-centric omni experience connecting store and digital journeys . Five Below’s CEO highlighted his hire to meet customers where they discover trends online and to deepen relationships via social and digital, aligning marketing with brand awareness and value messaging . Company incentive structures relevant to executives include annual metrics in net sales and post‑incentive adjusted operating income and long‑term PRSUs tied to 3‑year adjusted operating income and relative TSR, linking pay with performance .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forever 21 | Chief Marketing Digital & Omni Officer | Not disclosed | Led customer-centric omni marketing; deep experience connecting store and digital experiences |
| Belk | Chief Marketing & Digital Officer | Not disclosed | Built seamless omni experience; customer champion focus |
External Roles
No public filings disclose external directorships or board roles for Hawkins .
Fixed Compensation
No compensation detail for Hawkins appears in the 2025 DEF 14A executive compensation tables; he was not a fiscal 2024 Named Executive Officer, and joined in March 2025 .
Performance Compensation
Company program design applicable to executive officers (for context on Hawkins’ incentives):
| Component | Metric / Structure | Weighting | Target / Scale | 2024 Actuals (where applicable) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Bonus | Net Sales | 50% | Target $4,084.2M; threshold $3,864.7M; max $4,210.6M | $3,876.5M (32% of target component; weighted 16%) |
| Annual Bonus | Post‑Incentive Adjusted Operating Income | 50% | Target $447.6M; threshold $380.0M; max $481.4M | $325.8M (0% of target component) |
| Long‑Term PRSUs (2024 design) | 3‑Year Cumulative Adjusted Operating Income | 50% | 50% payout at threshold; 100% at target; 200% at max | Performance scale; vesting contingent on service |
| Long‑Term PRSUs (2024 design) | Relative TSR vs peer set | 50% | 25% payout at 30th percentile; 100% at 50th; 200% at 80th; measured quarterly across fiscal 2024–2026 | Performance scale; vesting contingent on service |
| Equity Mix (2025 awards) | RSUs vs PRSUs | — | 40% RSUs / 60% PRSUs (changed from 25%/75%) | Aligns with market and retention |
| RSU Vesting (2025 awards) | Time‑based RSUs | — | 33.33% on each of the first, second, and third anniversaries | Modified from prior 50/25/25 schedule |
Notes:
- 2024 actuals shown reflect company results used for the annual plan; Hawkins did not have a 2024 annual bonus as he joined in March 2025 .
- PRSU performance metrics tie to adjusted operating income and relative TSR, with 0–200% payout range and service-based vesting conditions .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Initial Beneficial Ownership: Form 3 filed March 24, 2025 lists “No securities are beneficially owned,” indicating zero initial holdings at appointment (CMOO Officer designation; event date March 17, 2025) .
- Stock Ownership Guidelines: Other Executive Officers must hold company stock equal to 2x base salary; executives must hold 50% of net shares from exercises/settlements until in‑compliance .
| Policy Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Ownership multiple for “Other Executive Officers” | 2× base salary |
| Holding requirement until guideline met | 50% of net shares from option exercises/RSU settlements |
| Compliance status snapshot (Jan 2, 2025) | All covered executives then in compliance; Hawkins joined March 2025 (not in that measurement) |
- Hedging/Pledging: Hedging transactions, pledging of company securities, short sales, margin purchases, and transactions in derivatives (puts/calls/options) are prohibited under the Insider Trading Policy .
Employment Terms
- Role and Start: Joined as Chief Marketing and Omnichannel Officer in March 2025 .
- Clawback Policy: Company will seek recovery of erroneously awarded incentive compensation for (i) financial restatements, (ii) materially inaccurate performance metric calculations, and (iii) misconduct causing material financial or reputational harm; applies to equity and cash incentive awards .
- Severance: The DEF 14A discusses severance eligibility for certain executives (e.g., Chipman, Hill, Bull, Park, Specter, Vellios) but does not disclose severance terms specific to Hawkins .
- Insider Trading Policy: Prohibits hedging, pledging, short sales, margin accounts, and derivatives; designed to maintain alignment with shareholders and regulatory compliance .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and Retention: Zero initial beneficial ownership at appointment suggests Hawkins will build holdings over time under ownership guidelines (2× salary and 50% holding rule), supporting long-term alignment but requiring monitoring for guideline progress .
- Selling Pressure: Prohibitions on hedging/pledging reduce misalignment and forced selling risk; watch for RSU/PRSU grants and subsequent Form 4 filings to assess future vesting-related supply .
- Pay-for-Performance Linkage: Company incentive architecture emphasizes net sales and adjusted operating income annually, and 3‑year AOI and relative TSR for PRSUs—framework likely to guide Hawkins’ variable pay outcomes and marketing KPIs tied to traffic, conversion, and revenue quality .
- Execution Focus: CEO commentary ties Hawkins’ mandate to digital discovery, social media, and brand awareness, aiming to improve store productivity and customer growth—key levers for topline and TSR, which directly influence PRSU outcomes .
- Disclosure Gap: No individual compensation, severance, or change‑in‑control terms disclosed for Hawkins to date; continue tracking future proxies and 8‑Ks for specific arrangements .