Tesla(US:TSLA) Huan Qiu Wang Zi Xun·2025-12-16 02:48Core Insights - Tesla board members have earned over $3 billion through stock awards, significantly surpassing the total stock awards granted to board members of other major U.S. tech companies during the same period [1][3]. Group 1: Board Member Earnings - The earnings of Tesla's board primarily stem from realized or appreciated stock options, with Kimbal Musk, the CEO's brother, earning nearly $1 billion since 2004, and board member Ira Ehrenpreis earning $869 million since 2007 [3]. - Despite not receiving new stock awards since 2020 and a suspension of board compensation since 2021 due to shareholder lawsuits, the accumulated stock assets continue to yield substantial returns for board members [3]. Group 2: Historical Compensation Levels - From 2018 to 2020, the average cash and stock compensation for Tesla's board was approximately $12 million, which is eight times higher than Alphabet's average for the same period [3]. - Even accounting for the four-year suspension of compensation from 2021 to 2024, Tesla's board average compensation remains 2.5 times higher than that of Meta's board during the same timeframe [3]. Group 3: Stock Options vs. Direct Stock - One key reason for the substantial earnings of Tesla's board is the significant appreciation of the stock received initially, which has outperformed similar awards from other tech giants [4]. - Tesla's choice to compensate board members with stock options rather than direct stock has drawn criticism from corporate governance experts, as stock options allow holders to avoid risks associated with stock price declines while amplifying potential gains [4]. Group 4: Company Response - In response to the controversy, Tesla stated that board compensation is not excessive but directly linked to stock performance and value creation for shareholders, highlighting the board's commitment and high meeting attendance [4].