Michael O'Sullivan is the CEO of Burlington Stores, which he joined in September 2019. Before Burlington, he worked for Ross Stores for 16 years, where he climbed to the role of President and COO. His background includes consulting at Bain...

Michael O'Sullivan is the CEO of Burlington Stores, which he joined in September 2019. Before Burlington, he worked for Ross Stores for 16 years, where he climbed to the role of President and COO. His background includes consulting at Bain & Company, where he advised various companies in retail and finance. One of the interesting things about his leadership is that since taking over at Burlington, he emphasized performance metrics based on Adjusted EBIT, which really measures how much profit the company makes before certain costs. In 2023, his total compensation reached about $13.9 million, which included a $1.5 million salary and options worth $2.5 million. This shows that he has a strong incentive to drive the company's performance. O'Sullivan is known for focusing on increasing profitability and expanding the retail footprint through strategic growth. Under his guidance, the company has opened several new stores. His journey from consultant to CEO in retail is a clear testament to his understanding of this fast-paced industry.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Burlington Stores CEOs

B

Michael O'Sullivan

CEO of Burlington Stores

Field of Expertise

Consumer Goods & Retail - Retail

Sector of Economy

Consumer Cyclical

Born

January 1, 1964 - 61 years ago

CEO of Burlington Stores for

5 years 7 months (Sep 2019 - Present)

Previous Experience

President and Chief Operating Officer of Ross Stores, Inc. since 2009.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Michael O'Sullivan

T

Ernie Herrman

CEO of TJX Companies

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.73M

Bonus

$5.89M

Other

$646.46K

Total Holdings

$61.40M

Holdings

See how much did Michael O'Sullivan make over time.

Michael O'Sullivan's holdings in Burlington Stores reflect significant fluctuations over the years. Notably, in September 2019, they were valued at approximately $68 million, steadily increasing until they peaked at around $100 million in August 2024. However, there were dips during...

Michael O'Sullivan's holdings in Burlington Stores reflect significant fluctuations over the years. Notably, in September 2019, they were valued at approximately $68 million, steadily increasing until they peaked at around $100 million in August 2024. However, there were dips during the pandemic, such as a drop to about $55 million in March 2020. As of recent months, his holdings are valued around $75 million as of October 2023. This progression showcases both the challenges and successes he has faced at Burlington.

Mar 18, 2025

B

shares

BURL @ $233.90

R

shares

ROST @ $123.71

Total Stock Sold

$28.69M

ROST

$26.20M

1,267,687 ROST shares

BURL

$2.49M

13,808 BURL shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Michael O'Sullivan didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra ROST1,267,687 shares worth $108.15M and BURL13,808 shares worth $2.32M.
This is 285.03% and $81.77M more than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

ROST

72,624 shares

ROST

Recent Charitable Transactions

ROST

15,000 shares

ROST

Mar 9, 2015

Charity

ROST

21,312 shares

ROST

Sep 14, 2012

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Michael O'Sullivan.

BURL

30,617 shares

BURL

Feb 18, 2025

Received

BURL

14,783 shares

BURL

May 1, 2024

Received

BURL

11,859 shares

BURL

Feb 20, 2024

Received

BURL

13,692 shares

BURL

May 1, 2023

Received

BURL

6,370 shares

BURL

Feb 13, 2023

Received

BURL

11,510 shares

BURL

May 2, 2022

Received

BURL

13,808 shares

BURL

Mar 8, 2022

Received

BURL

6,516 shares

BURL

May 3, 2021

Received

BURL

11,862 shares

BURL

May 1, 2020

Received

BURL

71,917 shares

BURL

Sep 16, 2019

Received

Compensation History

See how much did Michael O'Sullivan make over time.

In 2023, Michael O'Sullivan received total compensation of approximately $13.9 million as CEO of Burlington Stores. His base salary was $1.5 million, accompanied by stock options valued at roughly $2.5 million. Notably, in 2022, he earned about $3 million in total compensation with a significant bonus of $1.7 million linked to company performance. Interestingly, he chose to forgo bonuses during the challenging fiscal year 2020 due to the pandemic, highlighting his consideration for the company's overall situation. His compensation is largely performance-based, reflecting his drive to align with company goals and stockholder interests. This structure underscores the importance of performance in executive roles, ensuring accountability and motivation in leadership.

Year

2023

Total Compensation

$1.47M

Salary

$1.46M

Board Justification

The compensation program aims to attract and retain executive talent while aligning their interests with stockholder value through performance-based incentives.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

No bonus was awarded for fiscal 2023.

Other

$15.12K

Board Justification

Includes company matching 401(k) contributions and insurance premiums.

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 RSU)

Board Justification

No stock was vested in 2023 as the focus is on the total compensation excluding stock grants.

Performance Metrics

Adjusted EBIT was the sole performance metric for the fiscal 2023 Annual Incentive Plan.

Other Burlington Stores CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Burlington Stores

Thomas A. Kingsbury

Ex-CEO of Burlington Stores

December 2008 - September 2019