- CEO pay increased in 2014, with total compensation rising 4.1% to $3.7 million and long-term incentive grants increasing 5.6% to $8.1 million. Companies made changes to pay mixes, increasing the portion tied to performance in response to shareholder feedback.
- Shareholder returns were strong in 2013 and solid in 2014, with total shareholder returns of 34.6% and 16.6% respectively. Company financial performance also increased, contributing to higher CEO pay.
- Shareholders continue to prefer more compensation being tied to long-term performance, leading to performance awards becoming the largest part of the pay mix for CEOs.