Should This Former Apple Exec Have Stuck Around?

Updated

Working at the highest echelons of the world's largest tech company sure has its perks.

Just last month, Apple (NAS: AAPL) CEO Tim Cook enjoyed a hefty payday upon the vesting of some restricted stock units, or RSUs. Based on Dec. 30 closing prices, the position was valued at $96.2 million, with the RSUs in question vesting by the end of March. Apple shares have rallied a monstrous 48% this quarter, bumping up that payday's value to roughly $142 million.

Keep in mind that's only part of Cook's RSU position. The largest of his numerous RSU grants over the years is the million RSUs he received upon becoming CEO, half of which vest in 2016, with the other half vesting in 2021. A handful of other execs also got juicy RSU awards in November, to make sure they stuck around after Steve Jobs' death.

Name

Title

RSUs Awarded (Nov. 4, 2011)

Scott Forstall

Senior VP, iOS Software

150,000

Bob Mansfield

Senior VP, Hardware Engineering

150,000

Peter Oppenheimer

Senior VP, CFO

150,000

Phil Schiller

Senior VP, Worldwide Marketing

150,000

Jeff Williams

Senior VP, Operations

150,000

Bruce Sewell

Senior VP, General Counsel

150,000

Eddy Cue

Senior VP, Internet Software and Services

100,000


Source: SEC Form 4 filings.

Industrial-design exec Jony Ive's position lets him escape SEC disclosures, but anyone at the top of Apple clearly enjoys cushy equity compensation.

So when retailer J.C. Penney (NYS: JCP) landed Apple retail head Ron Johnson last summer (Apple has since replaced him with John Browett), Johnson knew he was giving up a pricey seat. He'd left Apple by the time of the November RSU awards, but J.C. Penney did try to make it up to Johnson with a special $53 million stock award to help compensate for all those Apple RSUs he was giving up.

At the time, the award covered less than two-thirds of what Johnson was sacrificing. With Apple's mean rally recently, that opportunity cost has jumped, and Reuters estimates that he's now lost out on about $120 million in RSU gains.

I wouldn't worry too much about Johnson, though. He already owns about 230,000 shares, so he's still enjoying Apple's run. Besides, Johnson isn't in it for the money (I doubt he's having trouble paying his mortgage) -- he's in it to be CEO.

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At the time thisarticle was published Fool contributorEvan Niuowns shares of Apple, but he holds no other position in any company mentioned. Check out hisholdings and a short bio. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple.Motley Fool newsletter serviceshave recommended buying shares of Apple and creating a bull call spread position in Apple. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe thatconsidering a diverse range of insightsmakes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter servicesfree for 30 days.

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