New Delhi: Apple has revealed the full details of its executive compensation for 2025, showing that CEO Tim Cook earned just over $74 million during the year. The data was revealed in the annual proxy filing of the company at the US Securities and Exchange Commission, which was released before the annual shareholder meeting of Apple, which is planned to be held at the end of February.
In 2025, Cook was compensated a total of $74.3 million, which is a bit less than the compensation he was paid in 2024, which was $74.6 million. Like in the past, stock-based awards constituted most of his pay, which reiterates the point that Apple is still concentrating on the linkage of executive compensation to the long-term performance of the company.
Breakdown of Tim Cook’s 2025 pay
Cook was paid a wage of $3 million, as indicated in the filing, which is the same as last year. The stock awards were estimated to be worth approximately $57.5 million, which is a small drop-off compared to 2024. He received the non-equity incentive plan of Apple, which is a compensation that is also earned based on established financial and operational targets amounting to $12 million.
Apple indicated that incentive payments were based on the performance of the company against such targets in the year. Cook’s total package did not change much on an annual basis, even though the award of stocks slightly declined.
What’s included in ‘other compensation’?
The proxy statement also reports $1.76 million under all other compensation. This entails such standard perks as the contribution of Apple of $21,000 to the 401(k) plan of Cook, payment of term life insurance, and cash-out of vacation.
Security and travel were the highest costs in this category, however. Apple has also paid close attention to the personal security services of Cook and personal air travel, spending nearly $888,000 and approximately $790,000, respectively. Due to security and efficiency considerations, the Apple board wants Cook to be using its private aircraft in all his business and personal travels, a policy that has existed over a number of years.
Succession talk and Cook’s future
The filing appears at a time when leadership succession in Apple is once again being discussed. The New York Times reported that Cook has indicated that he wants to work less in the short term with the prospect of becoming a chairman in the event that he retires. Apple has not specified any timeline; however, the filing said that the board is currently in the process of succession planning.
It is also written in the document that Cook is eligible to receive an enriched retirement package. His exceptional equity bonus frameworks are a retirement vesting provision, which is a demonstration of the special contributions to the long-term growth and prosperity of Apple, as mentioned by the board of Apple.
Cook has always claimed that he does not want to amass wealth as the main end. He has also revealed in previous interviews that he intends to donate most of his wealth in the course of his life, when he has paid off the education of his nephew. He has pointed out that his philanthropic strategy will be planned and considered as opposed to individual donations.
Despite the raising questions concerning the next chapter of Apple, one thing is certain in the 2025 filing, and that is that Tim Cook will be at the top of the executive scale of payment of Apple, with his pay strongly pegged on its performance and long-term strategy.