Starbucks piles whipped cream atop CEO pay problem

Extra syrup. Few financial decisions are as vibes-driven as CEO pay. How much is too much is mostly a question of who’s counting and what it’s measured against. Starbucks, for example, is paying new boss Brian Niccol a $163 million package that, at first glance, seems like the boardroom equivalent of a venti caramel ribbon crunch Frappuccino.

Niccol faces the difficult job of turning around a $100 billion coffee chain stuck in a sales slump. Unsurprisingly, his compensation is generous. It starts with an $8.8 million shot of cash if he and the company exceed specific performance targets. He also gets $85 million just for joining, mostly replacing awards he surrenders by quitting as CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Then there’s a share-based bonus: $23 million annually if he hits his targets. If he does really well, Starbucks could triple the amount, assuming the awards are structured like this year’s long-term executive bonuses, which are amplified if goals like sustainability and talent retention are met, based on the company's annual proxy filing.

Would $163 million really be so sickening? A barista might say so. The sum is roughly 11,000 times more than the median Starbucks employee earns. Unlike most of his subordinates, Niccol also gets to work from a remote office in sunny Newport Beach, California.

To a Starbucks shareholder, Niccol might be considered underpaid. The company’s market capitalization increased by $20 billion after his appointment was announced. In that sense, he has already exceeded his value by 122 times. Seen another way, analysts reckon Starbucks will generate $4.4 billion of earnings next year, according to Visible Alpha; if Niccol can make it $4.6 billion, he’ll have earned his keep.

Ultimately, Niccol’s pay depends largely on performance and him sticking around, because of the restricted-stock elements. Ignore the sign-on awards and assume he merely hits his targets, and the $28 million a year would barely make him one of the top 100 highest-paid U.S. CEOs, using union federation AFL-CIO’s list.

The point is that CEO compensation is fuzzy. There’s no U.S. law capping it, nor is there likely to be anytime soon. Shareholders get a say, albeit in an advisory capacity, but even then there’s no real science behind what’s warranted. No wonder pay keeps mounting like whipped cream on an indulgent iced mocha.

Context News

Starbucks will pay new Chief Executive Brian Niccol cash and shares that could be worth as much as $163 million, based on figures the U.S. coffee chain disclosed on Aug. 14. Headquartered in Seattle, the company also is letting him work remotely from Newport Beach, California. Niccol, who is joining from burrito chain Chipotle Mexican Grill, will receive a base salary of $1.6 million and an annual cash bonus of up to 4.5 times that amount, depending on his and the company’s performance. He is also eligible for an annual stock award with a target value of $23 million. Similar bonuses awarded to Starbucks executives in 2024 can pay up to 303% of their target value if goals linked to earnings, share performance, talent retention and sustainability are met. Niccol also receives a $10 million cash sign-on bonus, and $75 million in shares, conditional on performance and continued employment, to compensate him for awards he loses by leaving Chipotle.