Axon CEO Tops CEO Pay Rankings With $165M Package

Axon Enterprise CEO Rick Smith topped CEO pay rankings in 2024 with a $165 million compensation package, making him the only S&P 500 CEO to exceed $100 million last year. The award is largely equity-based and tied to long-term performance targets, reflecting broader trends in executive compensation design.

Despite record individual payouts, overall CEO compensation growth slowed compared with prior years. MyLogIQ data shows that while equity awards continue to dominate pay structures, fewer executives crossed the $100 million threshold than in earlier cycles. The surge in Axon’s share price significantly inflated the value of Smith’s award, underscoring how equity-heavy compensation can magnify outcomes — and shareholder scrutiny — when performance accelerates.

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