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GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen Has $35 Billion Reasons to 10x the Stock. Should Investors Buy In?
Yahoo Finance· 2026-01-27 11:40
Core Viewpoint - Tesla shareholders have approved a substantial pay package for CEO Elon Musk, contingent on achieving specific financial goals, which GameStop is now emulating with a similar performance award for CEO Ryan Cohen [1] Group 1: Compensation Structure - Ryan Cohen's compensation plan does not guarantee salary, cash bonuses, or stock vesting, but he could earn tens of billions if he meets growth targets [2] - GameStop plans to grant Cohen stock options to purchase over 171.5 million shares at $20.66, potentially worth over $3.5 billion [3] - To receive the full award, GameStop must achieve $10 billion in EBITDA and a market cap of $100 billion, making Cohen's award worth over $35 billion at that level [3] Group 2: Financial Performance - GameStop generated approximately $136 million in EBITDA through the first ten months of 2025, with a current market cap of about $10.3 billion [4] - Portions of Cohen's incentive will vest upon reaching specific thresholds, such as a $20 billion market cap and $2 billion in EBITDA for the first tranche [4] - GameStop has improved its financial profile by reducing its physical store presence and expanding its collectibles business, which now accounts for nearly 28% of total revenue [5] Group 3: Business Challenges - The software business, which sells new and pre-owned video games, has experienced a significant decline, while hardware sales are also decreasing but at a slower rate [6] - Despite these challenges, GameStop has seen improvements in operating cash flow, EBITDA, and earnings this year [6] Group 4: Leadership Background - Ryan Cohen became involved with GameStop prior to its 2021 surge and was appointed CEO in 2023, implementing various operational improvements [7] - GameStop's board aims to incentivize Cohen to significantly increase the stock value [7]