Ryan Cohen could be in for a big payday, but he has to grow meme darling GameStop to $100 billion

Core Viewpoint - GameStop has implemented a performance-based equity incentive plan for CEO Ryan Cohen, which is contingent on achieving significant growth in market capitalization and cumulative earnings [1][2]. Group 1: Incentive Structure - The plan grants Cohen stock options that will only vest if GameStop reaches a market capitalization of $100 billion and $10 billion in cumulative EBITDA [1]. - There is no partial credit; if the company does not meet at least $20 billion in market capitalization and $2 billion in cumulative EBITDA, none of the options will vest [2]. - The total award for Cohen could amount to stock options for 171,537,327 shares at a price of $20.66 per share if the targets are met [3]. Group 2: Company Performance - GameStop's shares fell by 36% last year, and the current market capitalization stands at $9.3 billion [2]. - The company reported a net income of $77.1 million in the third quarter [2]. Group 3: Business Strategy - GameStop is diversifying its business beyond physical video game sales, including ventures into collectibles, trading cards, and aggressive bitcoin purchases [4]. - However, there is a lack of a clear master plan on how these initiatives will achieve the growth necessary to meet the compensation targets [4]. Group 4: Alignment of Interests - The compensation structure aims to align Cohen's incentives with long-term shareholder returns by linking his pay to what GameStop describes as "extraordinary growth" [5].