LESLQ 8-K
Leslie's, Inc. (LESLQ)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
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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.
On January 6, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Leslie’s, Inc. (the “Company”) increased the size of the Board from eight to nine members and appointed John Hartmann to the Board, effective January 7, 2026. Mr. Hartmann was designated as a Class III director and will stand for election at the Company’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Mr. Hartmann has not been named to any committee of the Board at this time.
Mr. Hartmann will receive compensation for service as a non-employee director of the Company consistent with the compensation generally provided to other non-employee directors, as determined by the Board from time to time. Compensation for the Company’s non-employee directors is described in the Company’s Definitive Proxy Statement for its 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 23, 2025. There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Hartmann and any other persons pursuant to which Mr. Hartmann was selected as a director. Mr. Hartmann has no direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Mr. Hartmann brings nearly 25 years of retail leadership experience where he has executed successful turnaround as a C-suite executive of both public and private companies across diverse industries, including home improvement and home furnishings. Mr. Hartmann currently serves on the board of Boyd Group Services (NYSE: BGSI / TSX: BYD), including serving on the Audit and People Culture & Compensation Committees. Mr. Hartmann has previously served on the boards of Franchise Resource Group, which owned The Vitamin Shoppe, Pet Supplies Plus and Buddy’s Home Furnishings, HD Supply (Nasdaq: HDS), and AmeriGas (NYSE: APU) prior to its acquisition by UGI, as well as Ascend Wellness Holdings (OTC: AAWH), where he also previously served as Chief Executive Officer from 2023 to 2024. Prior to that, from 2020 to 2022, Mr. Hartmann served as the Chief Operating Officer of Bed Bath & Beyond (NYSE: BBBY) and President of the $1.2 billion standalone buybuy Baby division. Prior to that, Mr. Hartmann spent seven years, from 2013 to 2020, as the President & Chief Executive Officer at True Value Company. Mr. Hartmann earned his juris doctorate degree from Syracuse University School of Law and his BS degree from Rochester Institute of Technology. Mr. Hartmann was selected to serve as a director due to his proven record of transformative leadership and his extensive turnaround experience.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
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Description |
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99.1 |
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104 |
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Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
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.
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Leslie's, Inc. |
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January 8, 2026 |
By: |
/s/ Benjamin Lindquist |
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Benjamin Lindquist |
Exhibit 99.1
Leslie’s, Inc. Appoints John Hartmann to Board of Directors
PHOENIX, January 8, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leslie's, Inc. ("Leslie's" or the “Company”; NASDAQ: LESL), the largest and most trusted direct-to-customer brand in the U.S. pool and spa care industry serving residential customers and pool professionals nationwide, announced that it has appointed John Hartmann as an independent director to its Board of Directors, effective January 7, 2026.
Mr. Hartmann brings nearly 25 years of retail leadership experience where he has executed successful turnaround as a C-suite executive of both public and private companies across diverse industries, including home improvement and home furnishings. He has joined the Board as a Class III Director and will stand for election at the Company’s 2026 Annual Meeting of the Shareholders. With the addition of Mr. Hartmann, the Board will expand from eight to nine members.
John Strain, Leslie’s Chairman of the Board, said, “We are pleased to welcome John Hartmann to our Board of Directors. John brings decades of executive experience and a proven track record leading large-scale turnarounds and transformations focused on modernization initiatives and capability building. We are confident that his skillset will be invaluable to the Leslie’s Board and a strong resource for our management team as we continue to execute our strategic transformation plan and deliver for customers.”
Mr. Hartmann said, “I am honored to be joining the Leslie’s Board and am excited to bring my experience to advance the Company’s vision and growth initiatives. The Leslie’s brand is trusted and beloved by consumers across the country, and I look forward to helping the Company continue to build on its name and to best position the business for long-term value creation.”
Mr. Hartmann most recently served as CEO of Ascend Wellness Holdings, and, prior to Ascend, as COO of Bed Bath & Beyond and President of buybuy Baby. Previously, he served as CEO of True Value and spent seven years at Home Depot and its subsidiary HD Supply, culminating in his role as Chief Operating Officer, HD Supply Electrical and Plumbing/HVAC. Prior to that, he spent several years internationally as CEO of New Zealand’s market leading home improvement retailer, Mitre 10.
Mr. Hartmann currently serves on the board of Boyd Group Services (NYSE: BGSI /
TSX: BYD) including as a member of the Audit and People Culture & Compensation
Committees and has previously served on the boards of Franchise Resource Group
(which owned The Vitamin Shoppe, Pet Supplies Plus and Buddy’s Home Furnishings), Ascend Wellness Holdings (OTC: AAWH), HD Supply (Nasdaq: HDS), and AmeriGas (NYSE: APU) prior to its acquisition by UGI.
About Leslie’s
Founded in 1963, Leslie’s is the largest and most trusted direct-to-customer brand in the U.S. pool and spa care industry serving residential customers and pool professionals nationwide. The company serves the aftermarket needs of residential and professional consumers with an extensive and largely exclusive assortment of essential pool and spa care products. The company operates an integrated ecosystem of approximately 950 physical locations and a robust digital platform, enabling consumers to engage with Leslie’s whenever, wherever, and however they prefer to shop. Its dedicated team of associates, pool and spa care experts, and experienced service technicians are passionate about empowering Leslie’s consumers with the knowledge, products, and solutions necessary to confidently maintain and enjoy their pools and spas.
For more information about Leslie's, visit lesliespool.com or follow and engage with us: @lesliespoolcare on Instagram, Leslie's on Facebook, and @lesliespoolcare on X (formerly Twitter).
Contact
Tom Filandro
Partner, ICR
