The nation's largest corporations increased the compensation to their chief executives only slightly in 2011, despite better financial results, according to an analysis by Towers Watson.
Median annual salaries of CEOs increased 2.6%, according to a review of the year 2012 proxies of 225 Fortune 1000 companies that had been filed by late March. Annual bonuses remained flat.
In 2010, salary increases had remained flat from the previous year, but annual bonuses had increased by 21%.
“It appears that most companies managed their executive compensation programs thoughtfully last year. After seeing CEO pay levels increase sharply two years ago, reflecting the sharp rebound from the economic crisis, a return to more moderate increases last year makes sense in view of companies' financial results,” said Doug Friske, global leader of executive compensation consulting at Towers Watson, in a news release.
