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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] (via Bloomberg). Tim Cook will earn around $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. $47 million is a sizable pay cut for Cook, who earned $74.3 million in 2025, 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
53 minutes ago at 02:53 pm
No one needs that much money.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
turbineseaplane Avatar
46 minutes ago at 02:59 pm
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: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
51 minutes ago at 02:54 pm
I mean if you're running one of the biggest companies in the world and your decisions matter a lot it might be fair I guess? Would be nice if he got taxed properly though. And if the alleged bad treatment and payment of workers would stop.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThailandToo Avatar
20 minutes ago at 03:25 pm

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: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
poorcody Avatar
29 minutes ago at 03:17 pm

No one needs that much money.
I don't think we know that until we see the price of the folding iPhone...
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
matthew12 Avatar
6 minutes ago at 03:40 pm

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.
Yeah. Back then, the main difference was the CEO would probably have a much nicer house and go on some more vacations a year and probably some nice boat. Now they can literally buy some smaller countries (and buy individual politicians in larger ones).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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