Overview of Executive and Overview of Executive and Director Compensation and Director Compensation and Related TrendsRelated Trends
Third Annual Advanced Third Annual Advanced ALI-ABA Course of StudyALI-ABA Course of StudyJune 8, 2000June 8, 2000
Michael A. ThompsonMichael A. ThompsonFFREDERIC REDERIC W. CW. COOK &OOK & C CO.O.
The Places We’ll GoThe Places We’ll Go
• The EnvironmentThe Environment• Trends in Executive PayTrends in Executive Pay
– Internet and E-commerceInternet and E-commerce
• Trends in Director PayTrends in Director Pay
The EnvironmentThe Environment• Volatile and uncertain stock marketVolatile and uncertain stock market• Investor dilution concernsInvestor dilution concerns• FASB Interpretation 44FASB Interpretation 44• Corporate transactionsCorporate transactions• Re-emergence of venture capitalRe-emergence of venture capital
Volatile Stock MarketVolatile Stock Market• Nasdaq down 1/3Nasdaq down 1/3• Dow back around 10,000Dow back around 10,000• Many companies have lost 50% or more Many companies have lost 50% or more
of their valueof their value– XeroxXerox MattelMattel– ArmstrongArmstrong Bank OneBank One– Sara LeeSara Lee R.R. DonnelleyR.R. Donnelley– SearsSears Toys R UsToys R Us– E-ToysE-Toys Red HatRed Hat
• Higher “burn rates” and “overhang”Higher “burn rates” and “overhang”
• More scrutiny from institutional investorsMore scrutiny from institutional investors
Stock Plan DilutionStock Plan Dilution
% Outstanding SharesTop-200 (P. Meyer Survey)
1989 1999
Annual Grants 1.1% 2.1%
Potential Dilution 6.9% 13.7%
Stock Plan DilutionStock Plan Dilution• Smaller more frequent Smaller more frequent
share authorizationsshare authorizations• Shares counted on Shares counted on
net, as issued basis, net, as issued basis, not gross, as granted not gross, as granted basisbasis
• Add back shares re-Add back shares re-purchased with option purchased with option proceedsproceeds
• Board approved plans Board approved plans for non-officersfor non-officers
• Best voting outcome Best voting outcome because of dilution because of dilution teststests
• Add back shares to Add back shares to pool from stock-swap pool from stock-swap exercises, etc.exercises, etc.
• Particularly with Particularly with prevalent buy-back prevalent buy-back programsprograms
• Possible under stock Possible under stock exchange rulesexchange rules
FASB Interpretation 44FASB Interpretation 44• Separate presentation tomorrowSeparate presentation tomorrow• Creates some upheavalCreates some upheaval
– Re-pricingRe-pricing– ReloadsReloads– Tax withholdingTax withholding
• Subsidiary stock and optionsSubsidiary stock and options– Including pre-IPO optionsIncluding pre-IPO options
• Restricted stock for u/w optionsRestricted stock for u/w options– Be careful of share for share matchingBe careful of share for share matching
Corporate TransactionsCorporate Transactions
• MergersMergers• AcquisitionsAcquisitions
• Divestitures/ SalesDivestitures/ Sales
• IPOsIPOs• Spin-offsSpin-offs• Tracking StockTracking Stock
Rise of Venture CapitalRise of Venture Capital• Corporate Venture Capital and Corporate Venture Capital and
Private Equity FundsPrivate Equity Funds• Creates significant pressure on Creates significant pressure on
executive compensationexecutive compensation– Internal venture managersInternal venture managers
• Raises issues regarding “friends Raises issues regarding “friends and family” shares on IPOand family” shares on IPO
Hot TopicsHot TopicsExecutive PayExecutive Pay• Retention, Retention, RetentionRetention, Retention, Retention• Equity use expansion continuesEquity use expansion continues• Stock/options for cashStock/options for cash• Deferred stock option gainsDeferred stock option gains• Impact of Internet companiesImpact of Internet companies
Retention, etc.Retention, etc.• Way underwater optionsWay underwater options• Restore retention & motivationRestore retention & motivation• Avoid re-pricing “penalties”Avoid re-pricing “penalties”• Implementing “claw-backs”Implementing “claw-backs”• Reducing post-termination exerciseReducing post-termination exercise
– But expanding for retirement, death But expanding for retirement, death and disabilityand disability
Retention AlternativesRetention Alternatives• Front-load future optionsFront-load future options• Increase in restricted stockIncrease in restricted stock• Price-recovery restricted stockPrice-recovery restricted stock• Dividend-equivalents on optionsDividend-equivalents on options• ““Claw-back” provisionsClaw-back” provisions• ““Premium” elective share conversionsPremium” elective share conversions• Extended stock option vestingExtended stock option vesting
Equity Use ExpansionEquity Use Expansion• Grant sizes explodeGrant sizes explode
– Million option grants now commonMillion option grants now common• Annual share usage over 2%Annual share usage over 2%• Broader participation in regular Broader participation in regular
annual grantsannual grants• Continued use of broad-based Continued use of broad-based
grantsgrants
Stock/Options for CashStock/Options for Cash• 28% of Top 25028% of Top 250• Mostly voluntaryMostly voluntary
– Some mandatorySome mandatory• BankBoston-25% of bonus over $300kBankBoston-25% of bonus over $300k
• Often includes premium to playOften includes premium to play– Alcoa and Gen’l Mills-one add’l share Alcoa and Gen’l Mills-one add’l share
for every four electedfor every four elected– Dell-discounts from market valueDell-discounts from market value
Deferred Option GainsDeferred Option Gains• Deep in-the-money options expiringDeep in-the-money options expiring• Offers opportunity to protect some Offers opportunity to protect some
carried interestcarried interest• Must use stock-swap exerciseMust use stock-swap exercise• Deferral in stock units payable in sharesDeferral in stock units payable in shares• Irrevocable election 6 months in Irrevocable election 6 months in
advanceadvance• Still owe FICA/Medicare taxStill owe FICA/Medicare tax
Internet ImpactInternet Impact• Changing the gameChanging the game
– Focus on carried interest, not Black-Focus on carried interest, not Black-Scholes valueScholes value
– Equity interest in E-commerce unitsEquity interest in E-commerce units• Raises the ante for retentionRaises the ante for retention• Significant salary increases in some Significant salary increases in some
sectors, e.g., law firmssectors, e.g., law firms
Generic Job ComparisonsGeneric Job Comparisons
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
Salary Bonus Long-Term
CEO CFO Top Sales General Counsel
GI
GIGI GI
Internet
Internet
Internet
Internet
($000)
Run Rate ComparisonsRun Rate Comparisons
1.1%
5.0% - 7.0%
2.1%
0.0%1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%5.0%6.0%7.0%8.0%
Old Economy New Economy
1989 1999
Ann
ual G
rant
s as a
% o
f Out
stan
ding
Sha
res
91% Growth
Dilution ComparisonsDilution Comparisons
6.9%
13.7%
20.0% - 25.0%
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
Old Economy New Economy
1989 1999
Pote
ntia
l Dilu
tion
as a
% o
f Out
stan
ding
Sha
res
99% Growth
Director CompensationDirector Compensation• Keep the stock comingKeep the stock coming• Away from meeting feesAway from meeting fees• Flexibility ReignsFlexibility Reigns• Ownership guidelinesOwnership guidelines• Interesting variationsInteresting variations
Increasing StockIncreasing Stock• Interpretation 44 finalizedInterpretation 44 finalized
– Directors considered employees so no Directors considered employees so no P&L chargeP&L charge
• Pension debate is overPension debate is over– Replaced with stock grantsReplaced with stock grants
Director Stock UsageDirector Stock UsageTop 250 CompaniesTop 250 Companies
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
AnyType
ElectiveGrants
StockOptions
Rest.Stk
UnrestStk
1996 1997 1998
Source: FWC&Co. 1999 Top 250
Retainer-Only PlansRetainer-Only Plans• Move away from meeting feesMove away from meeting fees• Paying for governance, not time spentPaying for governance, not time spent• More complete disclosure encourages More complete disclosure encourages
attendanceattendance• Eliminates administrative complexityEliminates administrative complexity• Facilitates conversion of compensation Facilitates conversion of compensation
to stockto stock
Flexibility ReignsFlexibility Reigns• Trade off everything for everythingTrade off everything for everything• Directors from increasingly diverse Directors from increasingly diverse
backgroundsbackgrounds
Ownership GuidelinesOwnership Guidelines• 16% of Top 25016% of Top 250
– Not a lot, but increasingNot a lot, but increasing• Most use multiple of retainerMost use multiple of retainer
– 5x most common5x most common• Other examplesOther examples
– Citigroup—75% of shares grantedCitigroup—75% of shares granted– Comcast—60% of vested valueComcast—60% of vested value– Airtouch--$100k owned before option grants Airtouch--$100k owned before option grants
mademade
Other VariationsOther Variations• Performance OptionsPerformance Options
– Computer Associates--# based on ROEComputer Associates--# based on ROE– SYSCO—options granted only if 10% SYSCO—options granted only if 10%
growth in EPSgrowth in EPS– UP—options vest on stock priceUP—options vest on stock price
• Reloads for directorsReloads for directors– Includes Abbott, Allstate, Sara Lee, US Includes Abbott, Allstate, Sara Lee, US
Bancorp, Wells FargoBancorp, Wells Fargo
Overview of Executive and Overview of Executive and Director Compensation and Director Compensation and Related TrendsRelated Trends
Third Annual Advanced Third Annual Advanced ALI-ABA Course of StudyALI-ABA Course of StudyJune 8, 2000June 8, 2000
Michael A. ThompsonMichael A. ThompsonFFREDERIC REDERIC W. CW. COOK &OOK & C CO.O.
Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc. provides management compensation consulting services to business clients.Formed in 1973, our firm has served over 1,000 corporations in a wide variety of industries from our offices in NewYork, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Our primary focus is on performance-based compensation programs which helpcompanies attract and retain key employees, motivate and reward them for improved performance, and align theirinterests with shareholders. Our range of consulting services encompasses the following areas:
Total Compensation Reviews Incentive Grant Guidelines Performance Measurement Strategic Incentives Executive Ownership Programs Globalization Specific Plan Reviews All-Employee Plans Privatization Restructuring Services Directors’ Compensation Compensation Committee Advisor Competitive Comparisons Equity Instruments Stock Option Enhancements
Our offices are located:
New York Chicago Los Angeles90 Park Avenue35th floor
19 South LaSalle StreetSuite 400
2029 Century Park EastSuite 1130
New York, New York 10016 Chicago, Illinois 60603 Los Angeles, California 90067212-986-6330 phone 312-332-0910 phone 310-277-5070 phone212-986-3836 fax 312-332-0647 fax 310-277-5068 fax
Web site address:www.fredericwcook.com
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