Mission Produce announces CEO succession and board refresh

Mission Produce ( (AVO) ) has shared an update.

On December 18, 2025, Mission Produce announced a CEO succession and board overhaul to take effect at the close of its April 9, 2026 annual meeting, naming President and Chief Operating Officer John Pawlowski as Chief Executive Officer and moving long-time CEO and co‑founder Steve Barnard to Executive Chairman. The company detailed a new employment agreement for Pawlowski, including a $750,000 minimum base salary, substantial bonus and equity incentives, and defined severance protections in both standard and change‑of‑control scenarios, while Barnard’s amended contract formalizes his reduced‑salary Executive Chairman role with scaled equity awards over a two‑year transition period. As part of a broader governance refresh, current Board Chair Stephen Beebe will retire and resign from the Board at that meeting, director Bonnie Lind will not stand for re‑election, and existing director Linda Segre will become Lead Independent Director, while three independent directors—financial executive Michael Sims, former food and beverage CEO Laura Flanagan and agribusiness veteran Douglas Stone—have been added during 2025 to strengthen expertise in finance, food and agribusiness and assume key committee leadership roles. The succession and board changes follow two years of strong financial and operational performance and the completion of a major capital expenditure cycle, and are intended to position Mission Produce for a new phase of growth, enhanced cash generation and strengthened governance, with continuity preserved through Barnard’s ongoing strategic involvement as Executive Chairman and assurances that Beebe’s departure does not stem from disagreements over company practices.

The most recent analyst rating on (AVO) stock is a Hold with a $13.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Mission Produce stock, see the AVO Stock Forecast page.

Spark’s Take on AVO Stock

According to Spark, TipRanks’ AI Analyst, AVO is a Neutral.

Mission Produce’s overall stock score is driven by strong earnings performance and growth in international segments, despite challenges in cash flow and potential pricing pressures. The technical indicators suggest a cautious approach, while the valuation indicates moderate pricing. The positive earnings call significantly boosts the overall outlook.

To see Spark’s full report on AVO stock, click here.

More about Mission Produce

Mission Produce, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVO) is a vertically integrated global fresh produce company specializing in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados and mangos, and also growing blueberries as part of a diversified portfolio. Founded in 1983, it supplies retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in more than 25 countries from five packing facilities across the U.S., Mexico, Peru and Guatemala, supported by sourcing from over 20 premium growing regions and a global distribution network with value-added services such as ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistics in North America, China, Europe and the UK.

Average Trading Volume: 337,300

Technical Sentiment Signal: Buy

Current Market Cap: $917.3M

For an in-depth examination of AVO stock, go to TipRanks’ Overview page.