Starbucks CEO's pay takes a big hit—here's why
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol just saw his pay drop by 68%—from nearly $96 million in 2024 to $31 million for 2025.
The big cut was revealed in a Monday filing, and it comes after a rough year for Starbucks stock.
What happened to Niccol's paycheck?
Niccol joined Starbucks from Chipotle in September 2024 with a huge signing stock award of $90.2 million.
For 2025, he got a $5 million bonus and nearly $20 million in performance-based stock awards—but since Starbucks shares fell 7.7% in 2025 (their fourth straight drop), those incentives took a hit.
What else is going on at Starbucks?
Despite the pay news, Starbucks says its "Back to Starbucks" plan is helping boost sales lately, thanks to things like menu tweaks and faster service.
Starbucks also removed the prior $250,000 annual cap on Niccol's personal use of company aircraft, replacing it with quarterly reviews by the Compensation Committee chair after a security study recommended use of company aircraft for all travel, and the company did not impose a new maximum spending limit.