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Here's What Apple is Paying John Ternus to Run the Company

Apple has set new CEO John Ternus' target compensation at $58 million, according to an updated SEC filing [PDF]. Tim Cook's target compensation is $47 million in his new role as executive chairman.

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Ternus' fiscal 2027 compensation includes a $3 million salary and an annual equity award with a target value of $55 million. A quarter of the award is time-based and will vest semiannually over four years. The rest of the restricted stock units (RSUs) will vest based on Apple's total shareholder return relative to other companies in the S&P 500, which is how Cook's RSUs have worked for many years. For fiscal 2026, Apple granted Ternus a prorated RSU award with a target value of $2.5 million.

Cook's new salary will be $2 million, but he's also earning an equity award with a target value of $45 million in fiscal 2027. Half will be granted in the form of time-based RSUs that vest over four years, and the other half will vest based on Apple's stock performance. Should Cook retire on or after the first anniversary of the grant date, his equity will vest, but he won't receive the shares until the originally scheduled vesting dates.

Target compensation figures for Ternus and Cook do not include performance-based bonuses, so the final amount each earns in fiscal 2027 could change.

In 2025, Cook earned $74.3 million, including a $3 million salary, $12 million in performance-based cash awards, and $57.5 million in stock awards.

Ternus' previous pay as Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering was not publicly shared, so this is the first look at his compensation.

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Top Rated Comments

Chrjy Avatar
2 weeks ago
No one needs that much money.
Score: 55 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
2 weeks ago
Good for him.

It's still more than anyone should be paid.

Then again, I saw a ribeye that was $55 at the store yesterday and the good eggs were $12/dozen
🤔
😂

Jokes aside, we've gone off the rails here on executive pay.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CalMin Avatar
2 weeks ago
This isn’t really Apple deciding to write Ternus a $58M check.

Executive compensation at this level is set by the board’s compensation committee and most of it is performance-based pay tied to Apple’s shareholder returns relative to the S&P 500.

And while, as many have said, no one needs to get paid this much... sure. But that’s not really how compensation is determined. If his leadership ultimately creates tens or hundreds of billions of dollars in additional shareholder value, then paying him $58M is good value for shareholders.

I am not saying it is right, but the board’s job isn’t to decide how much money someone needs; it’s to decide what it costs to attract, retain and incentivize the person they believe gives shareholders the best chance of success.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThailandToo Avatar
2 weeks ago

Three million a year is pretty reasonable for the CEO of that big of a company. It's the stock that is the problem.

If you are wondering why "number must go up" is job one and the only thing that really matters, there is your answer. The pressure to cook the books and cut corners to make "number go up" and the stock options become valuable is what drives so many bad decisions.

The good news is that Apple does not run a drilling rig or oil platform in the Gulf or a refinery or a chemical plant full of methyl isocyanate, or heaven forbid an RBMK reactor. Their profit driven cockups only create Siri, The Visor Thing, or the eyestrain special that is Tahoe.
Indeed. Look at it in the 1980s. CEOs made 21x the average employee’s salary. Today that number is over 285x - and most of the time doesn’t include all the extra perks the CEO received.
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacUserFella Avatar
2 weeks ago
If only my boss paid me that much to be a janitor
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
poorcody Avatar
2 weeks ago

No one needs that much money.
I don't think we know that until we see the price of the folding iPhone...
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)