Stock Incentive

Stock Options When shares go up in value, executives can make a fortune from options. But when share prices fall, investors lose out while executives are no worse off. Indeed, some companies let executives swap old option shares for new, lower-priced shares when the company's shares fall in value.

The price at which the options may be "exercised" is usually the price of the company's stock on the date the options are granted. If the company performs well, the stock price will increase over the exercise price, giving the options value and rewarding the executive for his role in the company's success.

An incentive scheme basically involves monetary rewards, i.e., incentive pay but also includes non-monetary rewards. Incentives are variable rewards granted according to level of achievement of specific results. Incentives are payment for performance or payment by results.

Stock options are often issued as a part of a company's incentive program to the company's and its subsidiaries' key persons who are working on the company's projects. The purpose of the stock options is to give personnel a financial incentive to work hard to increase the company's shareholder value.

They offer employees an opportunity to have ownership in the company they work for and feel more connected to the business as well as to their co-workers. They are a cost-effective company benefit that can help make employment packages more attractive.

An incentive scheme basically involves monetary rewards, i.e., incentive pay but also includes non-monetary rewards. Incentives are variable rewards granted according to level of achievement of specific results. Incentives are payment for performance or payment by results.

Executive stock options incentivize CEOs to preform at the highest level. These increases in compensationdriven by improved business performancewould not represent a transfer of wealth from shareholders to executives.

An executive stock option is a contract that grants the right to buy a specified number of shares of the company's stock at a guaranteed "strike price" for a period of time, usually several years.

An incentive stock option (ISO) is a corporate benefit that gives an employee the right to buy shares of company stock at a discounted price with the added benefit of possible tax breaks on the profit. The profit on qualified ISOs is usually taxed at the capital gains rate, not the higher rate for ordinary income.