Despite an across-the-board dip in median financial performance, total direct compensation at median for CEOs among early filers in 2020 rose 8% over 2019 comp, according to a new report by Compensation Advisory Partners. By contrast, for the 2019 fiscal year, early-filer total direct comp rose only 2% at median.

The increase, however, is deceptive, given the disparate impact the pandemic had on different companies, says Lauren Peek, principal at CAP. Pay at companies hit hard by the pandemic declined, while at other companies it rose significantly in what CAP calls “a tale of two 2020s.” For the study, CAP reviewed compensation at 50 so-called early-filer companies, which includes those with revenues between $2 billion and $275 billion and fiscal year-ends between August and October 2020.

Agenda – CEO Pay Seesaws Under Pandemic Pressure