Apple has changed its corporate bylaws [PDF] to require executives officers to hold three times their annual base salary in stock, with Non-Employee Directors holding five times their annual retainer and Tim Cook required to hold ten times his annual base salary in stock.
The requirement for executives went into effect February 6th, while the requirement for Cook and the Directors went into effect back in November.
Calpers discussed the new executive-ownership requirement with the Apple board before the meeting, according to Anne Simpson, head of corporate governance for Calpers, who declined to elaborate. The fund has long regarded executive stock ownership "as standard good practice," she said. "It's part of our conversation with all companies we engage." Ms. Simpson said in an interview Wednesday that "there are other changes in the works related to executive pay."
Proposal No. 5, an item that was voted on at the recent Apple Shareholder's Meeting, would have required executives to hold 33 percent of their equity pay until retirement. Apple felt this requirement was too onerous and instead adopted stockholding requirements relating to base yearly salary.
The base salaries of most senior executives will be $875,000 for 2013, while Tim Cook's salary will be $1.4 million this year. Non-employee board members receive a $50,000 yearly retainer.
