Cover
Cover | 12 Months Ended |
Dec. 31, 2023 | |
Document Information [Line Items] | |
Document Type | PRE 14A |
Amendment Flag | false |
Entity Information [Line Items] | |
Entity Registrant Name | FORWARD AIR CORPORATION |
Entity Central Index Key | 0000912728 |
Pay vs Performance Disclosure
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | 12 Months Ended | |||
Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) | |
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure, Table | Year Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO 1 Compensation Actually Paid to PEO 2 Average Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO NEOs 3 Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs 4 Value of Initial Fixed Net Income (millions) 7 Relative TSR Performance Percentile 8 Total Shareholder Return 5 Peer Group Total Shareholder Return 6 2023 $4,866,321 $(766,293) $1,047,755 $320,635 $94 $124 $167.4 0th 2022 $6,055,810 $6,356,982 $1,742,416 $1,711,824 $155 $100 $193.2 64th 2021 $6,048,000 $9,065,745 $1,525,473 $1,726,305 $177 $125 $105.9 77th 2020 $3,200,911 $2,353,212 $1,006,555 $644,923 $111 $104 $23.7 42nd 1 The amounts reported in this column are the amounts of total compensation reported for Mr. Schmitt (our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman) for each corresponding year in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table. Refer to “Executive Compensation – Summary Compensation Table.” 2 The amounts reported in this column represent the amount of “compensation actually paid” to Mr. Schmitt, as computed in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K. The amounts do not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid to Mr. Schmitt during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, the following adjustments were made to Mr. Schmitt’s total compensation for each year to determine the compensation actually paid: | |||
Company Selected Measure Name | Relative TSR Performance Percentile | |||
Named Executive Officers, Footnote | 1 The amounts reported in this column are the amounts of total compensation reported for Mr. Schmitt (our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman) for each corresponding year in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table. Refer to “Executive Compensation – Summary Compensation Table.” 3 The amounts reported in this column represent the average of the amounts reported for the Company’s named executive officers (NEOs) as a group (excluding Mr. Schmitt, who has served as our CEO since 2018) in the “Total” column of the Summary Compensation Table in each applicable year. The names of each of the NEOs (excluding Mr. Schmitt) included for purposes of calculating the average amounts in each applicable year are as follows: (i) for 2023, Michael L. Hance, Rebecca J. Garbrick, Chris C. Ruble and Kyle R. Mitchin; (ii) for 2022, Rebecca J. Garbrick, Chris C. Ruble, Michael L. Hance, and Kyle R. Mitchin; (iii) for 2021, Rebecca J. Garbrick, Scott E. Schara, Chris C. Ruble, Michael L. Hance and Michael J. Morris; and (iv) for 2020, Michael J. Morris, Scott E. Schara, Chris C. Ruble, Michael L. Hance and Matthew J. Jewell. | |||
Peer Group Issuers, Footnote | 6 | |||
PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 4,866,321 | $ 6,055,810 | $ 6,048,000 | $ 3,200,911 |
PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ (766,293) | 6,356,982 | 9,065,745 | 2,353,212 |
Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote | 2 The amounts reported in this column represent the amount of “compensation actually paid” to Mr. Schmitt, as computed in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K. The amounts do not reflect the actual amount of compensation earned by or paid to Mr. Schmitt during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, the following adjustments were made to Mr. Schmitt’s total compensation for each year to determine the compensation actually paid: PEO 2023 2022 2021 2020 Reported Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO $4,866,321 $6,055,810 $6,048,000 $3,200,911 - Reported Value of Equity Awards $(3,815,000) $(2,875,000) $(2,875,000) $(2,125,000) + Year End Fair Value of Equity Awards $1,499,165 $3,099,190 $4,472,901 $1,238,623 + Year Over Year Change in Fair Value of Outstanding and Unvested Equity Awards $(3,472,861) $234,398 $1,183,652 $176,287 +/- Year Over Year Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years that Vested in the Year $156,082 $(157,416) $236,192 $(137,609) +/- Fair Value at the End of the Prior Year of Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions in the Year $— $— $— $— +/- Value of Dividends Paid on Stock Awards not Otherwise Reflected in Fair Value or Total Compensation $— $— $— $— Compensation Actually Paid to PEO $(766,293) $6,356,982 $9,065,745 $2,353,212 | |||
Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 1,047,755 | 1,742,416 | 1,525,473 | 1,006,555 |
Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ 320,635 | 1,711,824 | 1,726,305 | 644,923 |
Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote | 4 The amounts reported in this column represent the average amount of “compensation actually paid” to the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Schmitt), as computed in accordance with Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K. The amounts do not reflect the actual average amount of compensation earned by or paid to the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Schmitt) during the applicable year. In accordance with the requirements of Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, the following adjustments were made to average total compensation for the NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Schmitt) for each year to determine the compensation actually paid, using the same methodology described above in Note 2: Average for Non-PEO NEOs 2023 2022 2021 2020 Average Reported Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO NEOs $1,047,755 $1,742,416 $1,525,473 $1,006,555 - Average Reported Value of Equity Awards $(518,750) $(465,000) $(448,000) $(375,000) + Average Year End Fair Value of Equity Awards $223,513 $490,666 $615,596 $281,071 +/- Year Over Year Average Change in Fair Value of Outstanding and Unvested Equity Awards $(453,197) $(4,743) $144,644 $(19,014) +/- Year over Year Average Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years that Vested in the Year $21,314 $(51,515) $12,362 $(153,176) - Average Fair Value at the End of the Prior Year of Equity Awards that Failed to Meet Vesting Conditions in the Year $— $— $(123,770) $(95,513) + Average Value of Dividends Paid on Stock Awards not Otherwise Reflected in Fair Value or Total Compensation $— $— $— $— Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs $320,635 $1,711,824 $1,726,305 $644,923 | |||
Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return | ||||
Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income | ||||
Compensation Actually Paid vs. Company Selected Measure | ||||
Tabular List, Table | Operating Income • Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) • Relative TSR Performance Percentile (the Company’s TSR as compared to a peer group established by the Compensation Committee) | |||
Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 94 | 155 | 177 | 111 |
Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Amount | 124 | 100 | 125 | 104 |
Net Income (Loss) | $ 167,400,000 | $ 193,200,000 | $ 105,900,000 | $ 23,700,000 |
Company Selected Measure Amount | 0 | 0.64 | 0.77 | 0.42 |
PEO Name | Mr. Schmitt | |||
Additional 402(v) Disclosure | 5 Cumulative TSR is calculated by dividing the sum of the cumulative amount of dividends for the measurement period, assuming dividend reinvestment, and the difference between our share price at the end and the beginning of the measurement period by our share price at the beginning of the measurement period. 7 The amounts reported represent the net income as reflected in the Company’s audited financial statements for the applicable year. Financial Performance Measures As described in greater detail in the CD&A, the Company’s executive compensation program reflects a pay-for-performance philosophy to support the achievement of short- and long-term financial, operational and strategic objectives. The metrics that the Company uses for both our long-term and short-term incentive awards are selected based on an objective of incentivizing our NEOs to increase shareholder value. The most important financial performance measures used by the Company to link executive compensation actually paid to the Company’s NEOs, for the most recently completed fiscal year, to the Company’s performance are as follows: Description of the Relationship between Pay and Performance The following graphs illustrate the relationship between the amount of compensation actually paid to Mr. Schmitt and the average amount of compensation actually paid to the Company’s NEOs as a group (excluding Mr. Schmitt) with the Company’s (i) cumulative TSR, (ii) net income and (iii) relative TSR performance percentile over the four years presented in the table. Compensation actually paid is impacted by numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the timing of new equity awards, vesting of outstanding awards, share price volatility and mix of performance metrics. A large portion of the compensation actually paid to our NEOs is comprised of equity awards. As described in more detail in CD&A, the Company targets that approximately 68% and 40% of the value of total compensation awarded to Mr. Schmitt and other NEOs, respectively, is comprised of equity awards, including restricted stock, performance shares and stock options. Over the last four years, changes in the Company’s share price have led to changes in the compensation actually paid. The graphs below illustrate: • From 2020 to 2021, the compensation actually paid to our PEO increased by 285.2% and average compensation actually paid to our Non-PEO NEOs (excluding Mr. Schmitt) increased by 167.7%, cumulative TSR increased from $111 to $177 or 59.5%, net income increased from $23.7 million to $105.9 million or 346.8% and relative TSR performance percentile increased from the 42 nd percentile to the 77 th percentile. • From 2021 to 2022, the compensation actually paid to our PEO decreased by 29.9% and average compensation actually paid to our Non-PEO NEOs (excluding Mr. Schmitt) decreased by 0.8%, cumulative TSR decreased from $177 to $155 or 12.4%, net income increased from $105.9 million to $193.2 million or 82.4% and relative TSR performance percentile decreased from the 77 percentile to the 64 percentile. • From 2022 to 2023, the compensation actually paid to our PEO decreased by 112.1% and average compensation actually paid to our Non-PEO NEOs (excluding Mr. Schmitt) decreased by 81.3%, cumulative TSR decreased from $155 to $94 or 39.4%, net income decreased from $193.2 million to $167.4 million or 13.4% and relative TSR performance percentile decreased from the 64 percentile to the 0 percentile. For additional information regarding the Company’s executive compensation program, compensation setting process and compensation philosophy, see the CD&A starting on page 41. | |||
Measure:: 1 | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Name | Relative TSR Performance Percentile | |||
Non-GAAP Measure Description | 8 Relative TSR Performance Percentile is based on the metric used for our TSR performance shares, as discussed in more detail on pag es 51 to 52 . Amounts shown in this table for each year reflect the Company’s one year TSR relative to the one year TSR of the peer group used for the TSR performance shares awarded for that year. While the Company uses numerous financial and non-financial performance measures for the purpose of evaluating performance for the Company’s compensation programs, the Company has determined that Relative TSR Performance Percentile is the financial performance measure that, in the Company’s assessment, represents the most important performance measure (that is not otherwise required to be disclosed in the table) used by the Company to link compensation actually paid to the Company’s NEOs, for the most recently completed fiscal year, to Company performance. | |||
Measure:: 2 | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Name | Operating Income | |||
Measure:: 3 | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Name | Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) | |||
PEO | Aggregate Grant Date Fair Value of Equity Award Amounts Reported in Summary Compensation Table | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | $ (3,815,000) | $ (2,875,000) | $ (2,875,000) | $ (2,125,000) |
PEO | Year-end Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Covered Year that are Outstanding and Unvested | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 1,499,165 | 3,099,190 | 4,472,901 | 1,238,623 |
PEO | Year-over-Year Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years That are Outstanding and Unvested | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | (3,472,861) | 234,398 | 1,183,652 | 176,287 |
PEO | Change in Fair Value as of Vesting Date of Prior Year Equity Awards Vested in Covered Year | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 156,082 | (157,416) | 236,192 | (137,609) |
PEO | Prior Year End Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Any Prior Year that Fail to Meet Applicable Vesting Conditions During Covered Year | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
PEO | Dividends or Other Earnings Paid on Equity Awards not Otherwise Reflected in Total Compensation for Covered Year | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Non-PEO NEO | Aggregate Grant Date Fair Value of Equity Award Amounts Reported in Summary Compensation Table | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | (518,750) | (465,000) | (448,000) | (375,000) |
Non-PEO NEO | Year-end Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Covered Year that are Outstanding and Unvested | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 223,513 | 490,666 | 615,596 | 281,071 |
Non-PEO NEO | Year-over-Year Change in Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Prior Years That are Outstanding and Unvested | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | (453,197) | (4,743) | 144,644 | (19,014) |
Non-PEO NEO | Change in Fair Value as of Vesting Date of Prior Year Equity Awards Vested in Covered Year | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 21,314 | (51,515) | 12,362 | (153,176) |
Non-PEO NEO | Prior Year End Fair Value of Equity Awards Granted in Any Prior Year that Fail to Meet Applicable Vesting Conditions During Covered Year | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | 0 | 0 | (123,770) | (95,513) |
Non-PEO NEO | Dividends or Other Earnings Paid on Equity Awards not Otherwise Reflected in Total Compensation for Covered Year | ||||
Pay vs Performance Disclosure | ||||
Adjustment to Compensation, Amount | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 | $ 0 |