ProxyMiner / Diff
AMAZON COM INC AMZN
Comparing the 2025 proxy against the 2026 proxy.
Compare
CEO total Δ
+29.6% year-over-year
Peer churn
Members added or dropped across all peer groups
Policy + metric churn
Disclosures whose value moved or appeared/disappeared
Peer groups
Peer disclosure
No peer groups were extracted from either filing.
Executive pay
Named executive compensation
| Executive | Status | From | To | Δ Total | Δ % | Δ At-risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Andrew R. JassyPresident and Chief Executive Officer | ChangedCEO | $1,596,889 2024 | $2,069,861 2025 | +$472,972 | +29.6% | 0.0 pp |
Douglas J. Herrington CEO Worldwide Amazon StoresNamed executive | Changed | $34,193,958 2024 | $425,365 2025 | -$33,768,593 | -98.8% | 0.0 pp |
Matthew S. Garman CEO Amazon Web ServicesNamed executive | Changed | $33,180,619 2024 | $617,281 2025 | -$32,563,338 | -98.1% | 0.0 pp |
Brian T. Olsavsky SVP andChief Financial Officer | Changed | $25,717,606 2024 | $372,000 2025 | -$25,345,606 | -98.6% | 0.0 pp |
David A. ZapolskyChief Global Affairs & Legal Officer | Changed | $25,717,606 2024 | $372,000 2025 | -$25,345,606 | -98.6% | 0.0 pp |
Adam N. Selipsky Former CEO Amazon Web ServicesNamed executive | Removed | $34,284,148 2024 | — | — | — | — |
Jeffrey P. BezosFounder and Executive Chair | Changed | $1,681,840 2024 | $1,681,840 2025 | $0 | 0.0% | 0.0 pp |
Governance
Policy guardrails
compensation consultant
AddedNot extracted → Not extracted
“For example, a 2026 study by compensation consultant Marc Hodak, Andrew W”
change in control
UnchangedNot extracted → Not extracted
“Overview Our executive compensation philosophy is anchored on periodic grants of time-vested restricted stock units that vest over the long term, which strongly and directly align our executives’ compensation with the re…”
clawback
Unchangedpresent → present
“Clawback Policy”
compensation committee
UnchangedLeadership Development and Compensation Committee → Leadership Development and Compensation Committee
“The Leadership Development and Compensation Committee”
hedging
Unchangedprohibited → prohibited
“Under our trading policies, directors, executive officers, and other employees above a specified level, as well as persons sharing their households, are prohibited from engaging in any speculative, hedging, or derivative…”
Performance markers
Metric facts
ceo pay ratio
Changed43 to 1 → 51 to 1
Numeric delta: +8.00
“The 2025 annual total compensation of our median compensated employee (identified from all full- and part-time permanent and temporary employees worldwide, excluding our CEO) was $40,206; Mr. Jassy’s 2025 annual total co…”
median employee compensation
Changed$37,181 → $40,206
Numeric delta: +3025.00
“The 2025 annual total compensation of our median compensated employee (identified from all full- and part-time permanent and temporary employees worldwide, excluding our CEO) was $40,206; Mr. Jassy’s 2025 annual total co…”
operating income
RemovedNot extracted → Not extracted
revenue
RemovedNot extracted → Not extracted
say on pay
Unchanged78% → 78%
Numeric delta: 0.00
“At our 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, 78% of the votes cast supported our advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers.”
Narrative
CD&A prose similarity
Coarse measure of how much the compensation discussion text moved year-over-year. Not a substitute for reading the actual filings.
46% shingled-prose overlap between the two filings.
2025: 50,980 chars · 2026: 38,116 chars
- Committee Report:100% overlap (701 → 701 chars)
- Pay Ratio (Item 402(u)):36% overlap (4,443 → 4,495 chars)
- Say-on-Pay proposal:53% overlap (3,122 → 3,017 chars)
Narrative
What actually changed in the CD&A
Sentence-level diff between the two filings. New disclosures appear first, then sentences whose wording shifted, then sentences the prior year had that are no longer present.
- newOur executive compensation philosophy is anchored on periodic grants of time-vested restricted stock units that vest over the long term, which strongly and directly align our executives’ compensation with the returns we deliver to shareholders and focus our executives on the long-term success of our business.
- changedInstead, we focus on realizable compensation by assessing the potential annual value of equity awards vesting over the long term.
- new 2025 Compensation Review • blacklining:none;The Leadership Development and Compensation Committee did not grant an equity award to Mr. Jassy and, consistent with its past practice of granting periodic long-term restricted stock unit awards every other year, did not grant equity awards to any of the other named executive officers.
- changed • blacklining:none;The TheLeadershipDevelopmentandCompensationCommittee has didnot granted grantanequityawardtoMr. Jassy in2024andhasnotgrantedhiman equity award since 2021, consistent with the Committee’s previous statement that the restricted stock unit award granted to Mr. Jassy in 2021, in connection with his promotion to President and CEO of Amazon, was intended to represent most of his compensation in the coming years.
- changed • blacklining:none;Mr. Mr.Jassy’s 2025 2024realized compensation (salary plus “all other compensation” as reported in the Summary Compensation Table, plus the value of stock vested during the year) increased compared to 2024 2023due to our stock price performance, partially offset by the decrease in the number of restricted stock units vesting during the year.
- new
- newIn the years following the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee’s 2021 restricted stock unit grant to Mr. Jassy, directors serving on the Committee and our Lead Independent Director have actively engaged with and were responsive to our shareholders regarding our executive compensation program.
- changedAt our 2025 2024Annual Meeting of Shareholders, 78% of the votes cast supported our advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers.
- newWe are pleased with the broad support among our shareholders for our compensation practices.
- newThrough our extensive outreach on our executive compensation program, we believe that shareholders have come to appreciate the view supported by a number of academic studies and endorsed by the Council of Institutional Investors, Norges Bank Investment Management, and some of our other largest investors, that restricted stock units, such as the ones granted to our executives, are sufficiently long-term in nature to align executives’ realized compensation with long-term performance.
- newWe are also pleased that, based on feedback from its policy surveys and compensation policy roundtables, ISS revised its benchmark voting policy for 2026 to view time-based equity awards with extended time horizons positively.
- newOur independent directors, with the support of our ESG Engagement and Investor Relations teams, continue to participate in our year-round engagement with our shareholders, and remain responsive to shareholders regarding our executive compensation program.
- new46
- changedCompensation Differentiators What we do What we don’t do ✓ blacklining:none;Remain responsive to blacklining:none;Solicitfeedback on our executive compensation through extensive shareholder engagement ✓ blacklining:none;Align executive officer and shareholder interests by compensating executives primarily with periodic equity grants with long-term vesting (generally five years or more) ✓ blacklining:none;Focus on assessing the potential annual value of equity awards as they vest over the long term instead of the accounting value reported in the Summary Compensation Table (which reflects the aggregate value of the awards at grant date before any of the awards have actually been earned) ✓ blacklining:none;For periodic restricted stock unit awards, assume a fixed annual increase in the stock price so that compensation will be negatively impacted if our stock price is flat or declines ✓ blacklining:none;Limited perquisites, consisting of security arrangements designed to benefit the Company ✘ blacklining:none;No annual cash bonuses or incentive awards ✘ blacklining:none;No reliance upon non-GAAP or adjusted performance measures in equity awards ✘ blacklining:none;No potential to “game” or manipulate the payout of equity awards through opaque performance criteria, and no discretion or ability to adjust payouts or vesting of equity awards (including no “above-target” payouts) ✘ blacklining:none;No post-termination vesting of equity awards if an executive is fired or quits, and no severance or retirement benefits ✘ blacklining:none;No supplemental executive retirement or other nonqualified deferred compensation plans
- newFor U.S. fulfillment and transportation employees, we announced in 2025 that we are investing over $1 billion to raise pay and lower health care costs, bringing the average pay for those roles to more than $23 per hour, more than triple the federal minimum wage, and the average total compensation to more than $30 per hour when the value of elected benefits is included.
- newBenefits include health care starting on the first day of employment for regular full-time employees; Career Choice, which pre-pays 100% of tuition at more than 475 education partners; a 401(k) plan with a Company match; flexible time-off options that increase with tenure; paid parental leave and family support programs; and an employee assistance program, offering mental health short-term counseling, referrals, and work-life support.
- newAmong other matters, we have
- new2026 Proxy Statement 47
- changedTABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE InadditiontotheotherfactorsdiscussedinthisCOMPENSATION DiscussionandAnalysis,theCommitteeconsidered inparticularthearguments supporting and criticizing the use of discrete performance-based vesting or payout conditions for equity-based compensation, evaluated the benefits and success of our existing executive compensation arrangements in driving long-term performance, and weighed the broadandincreasinglevel of support for our compensation program in the annual votes to approve our executive compensation. 2024.
- changedWe TheCommitteealso have evaluated our theexecutive compensation program in the context of the shifting economic environment and the dynamic and evolving nature of the Company’s business and prospects, including expectations for rapid changes across our itsoperations due to developments in technologies such as artificial intelligence, and other long-term capital-intensive projects under development at the Company.
- newHaving considered these and other factors, we continue to believe the structure of our executive compensation—emphasizing periodic grants of time-vested restricted stock units vesting over the long term—is best for our business, for three key reasons: • blacklining:none;It focuses on the true long-term success of our business, not on isolated one-, two-, or three-year goals that can encompass only a limited and selective portion of our objectives and that can reward executives with above-target payouts even when the stock price remains flat or declines; • blacklining:none; It strongly and directly aligns our executives’ compensation with the returns we deliver to shareholders; and • blacklining:none; It works, having allowed us to: ✓ blacklining:none; attract and retain incredibly talented people who have guided our business through countless challenges; ✓ blacklining:none;develop our business in ways that we could not have conceived a few years earlier, including initiatives that later became AWS, Kindle, Alexa, Fulfillment by Amazon, Marketplace, and Prime Video; ✓ blacklining:none;make long-term commitments to sustainability and other environmental, social, and human capital initiatives and goals; and ✓ blacklining:none; drive strong long-term returns to our shareholders.
- new We recognize that our executive compensation program differs from the approach used by many companies and that some models used to assess absolute and relative pay-for-performance do not accommodate our program, due to those models’ focus on the amounts reported in the Summary Compensation Table.
- newBecause our approach focuses on realizable compensation vesting over the long term, there are a number of important distinctions that shareholders should consider when assessing the amounts reported in the Summary Compensation Table and when comparing those amounts with amounts reported by other companies: • blacklining:none; Amazon does not have an annual cash incentive program; • blacklining:none;Amazon’s practice has been to grant periodic (not annual) equity awards, as opposed to the annual grants made at other companies; • blacklining:none;Amazon’s equity awards vest over five or more years, in contrast to typical three- or four-year vesting at other companies; • blacklining:none;The vesting schedule of Amazon’s periodic equity awards is not pro-rata over the life of the award, but is typically back-end weighted; and • blacklining:none;Amazon’s equity awards do not allow for more shares to be issued than valued in the Summary Compensation Table (i.e., Amazon does not provide for “above-target” share vesting).
- changed We have carefully considered the productive discussions we have had with our shareholders, the broad increasinglevelofsupport for our compensation practices from our shareholders and others in the last couple of years, others,and the alternative compensation structures used by other companies, including reviewing realized compensation at other companies.
- newFrom those considerations, we have determined that, based on how we run our business and what we have achieved, our executive compensation program works best for our business and is operating exactly as intended, supporting our culture and our performance, and aligning executives’ interests with both near-term and long-term shareholder returns.
- new 48
- newTABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION Our Compensation Design Our simple executive compensation program has a number of unique features that reflect our goals and philosophy: • blacklining:none; We do not tie cash or equity compensation to one or a few discrete performance goals.
- newWe believe our consistent focus on performance across the enterprise over the long term has served our Company and our shareholders well.
- changed • blacklining:none; We focus on long-term shareholder value that is realized by stock price appreciation.
- changedWhen we set our executives’ target compensation for periodic grants, we do not focus on the accounting value of awards that will be reported in the Summary Compensation Table and elsewhere in our proxy statement (which does not take into account the awards’ long-term and back-end weighted vesting terms and our historical practice of making grants every other year), but instead on the actual, multi-year vesting schedule and potential realizable compensation attributable to all of an executive’s stock awards.
- changed Because of these features, our executive compensation is highly transparent and, as shown in the Pay Versus Performance presentation on page 60, 79,strongly aligned with shareholder value.
- new 2026 Proxy Statement 49
- changedTABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION Alignment with Performance We share the view expressed by the Council of Institutional Investors, Norges Bank Investment Management, and others that tying stock and cash award payouts to a handful of discrete performance criteria is a major source of complexity and confusion in executive pay and results in executive compensation arrangements that lack transparency sincetheyaremoredifficulttovalueandmorevulnerabletoobfuscationthantime-vestingrestrictedstockunits,and often do not align with long-term performance.
- changedThe performance criteria are often not disclosed, opaque,and compensation committees often have discretion to set aside performance results or andadjust results to provide for above-target vesting of awards.
- changedA 2019 TheHodakstudy that appeared in Columbia Business School’s Journal of Applied Corporate Finance observed alsoconcludedthat performance-vested stock awards introduce “short-termism” in management behavior, even if vesting is based on multi-year performance criteria, because executives theyfocus executiveson the goals being rewarded in the current year.
- newIn contrast, our executive compensation program, anchored on periodic grants of time-vested restricted stock units that vest over the long term, is simple and transparent.
- newRecent studies support our compensation philosophy and practice.
- newFor example, a 2026 study by compensation consultant Marc Hodak, Andrew W.
- newLo and Chaoyi Zhao of MIT, and Austin Starkweather of the University of Tennessee, entitled “Underperformance of Performance Shares,” found that “firms that use [performance share units (“PSUs”)] experience negative returns throughout the PSU’s lifecycle compared to firms that do not use PSUs,” while “firms using time-based awards demonstrate no such underperformance.” The authors concluded that their study “lend[s] support to proposals that emphasize simpler, longer-horizon equity ownership over intricate performance vesting.” In commentary published in 2024 on the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance website, Norges Bank Investment Management reported that U.S. companies in its portfolio that granted performance-vesting equity had higher reported and realized compensation and significantly lower total shareholder returns (“TSR”) than U.S. companies that granted only time-vested equity awards.
- newWe are also pleased that, based on feedback from its policy surveys and compensation policy roundtables, ISS revised its benchmark voting policy for 2026 to view time-based equity awards with extended time horizons, like the restricted stock unit awards we grant to our executives, positively.
- changedWe believe that focusing on restricted stock unit performance-vestedequityawards with long-term vesting provisions thataretiedtoafewdiscreteperformancemetricsis notthe best way for a dynamic and growth-oriented company like Amazon to align executive pay with long-term performance and shareholder value.
- changedISSreportedthatinvestorsraisedvariousconcerns,includingthatperformance-vestedequityprograms“areoftencomplexandthatnon-rigorousperformancegoalsoftenresultinvestingofsignificantlymorethanthetargetvalue.”In our view, selecting a handful of discrete performance metrics as a basis for vesting or paying out compensation is fraught with the risk of improperly influencing or constraining long-term performance and inhibiting innovation.
- changedIn addition, given the unique nature of Amazon, the diversity of our operations and initiatives, and the dynamic and evolving nature of our business, standardized industry indices are either too broad—taking into account industries that are not reflected in the Company’s operations—or too narrow to serve as relevant comparisons for benchmarking company performance or for comparing TSR, performance,as reflected in the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee’s experience in selecting peer companies for target compensation comparisons, as discussed below under “Compensation Governance; Compensation Committee Process.” For example, benchmarking performance against a technology index might have proven a disincentive to building our own devices, developing our own movies and TV shows, or innovating shipping and delivery methods.
- new 50
- changedTABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION We believe our executive compensation program works well for our employees and for our shareholders.
- changedFor example, as of the end of 2025, 2024,our stock price had increased approximately 9,691% 9,807%over twenty years (a compound annual growth rate of 26%), 583% 1,314%over ten years, 42% over five years, and 175% 137%over three fiveyears.
- changedAs shown on the Pay Versus Performance presentation on page 60, 79,the Compensation Actually Paid to our executives is directly impacted by our stock price performance.
- changedOur Shareholder Engagement We continued our shareholder engagement throughout 2025, 2024,including following the 2025 2024Annual Meeting.
- changedAs discussed earlier in this proxy statement, since the beginning of 2025, 2024,we have engaged with 66 70of our 100 largest unaffiliated shareholders, as well as owningmorethan40%ofourstock,with numerous other independentmembersofourBoardofDirectorsparticipatinginmeetingswithmostofour20largestshareholders.
- newOur lead independent director participated in one-on-one or small group meetings with shareholders owning more than 22% of our stock.
- changedThe Leadership Development and Compensation Committee carefully considers consideredthe results of our shareholders’ the2024advisory vote approving the compensation of our named executive officers as well as input we receive receivedfrom shareholders and analyses by proxy advisory firms, and remains responsive to shareholders regarding includingoneofthemajorproxyadvisoryfirmswhichrecommendedinfavorofour executive compensation program. Say-on-Payvote.
- changed2025 TABLEOFCONTENTSEXECUTIVECOMPENSATION2024Compensation Decisions Base Salaries Base salaries for named executive officers are designed to provide a minimum level of cash compensation and to be significantly less than those paid to senior leadership at similarly situated companies.
- changedAnnual Bonuses None of the named executive officers received an annual incentive or cash bonus in 2025. 2024.
- newAnnual total compensation as reported in the Summary Compensation Table below includes the entire fair value as of the grant date of a stock award granted in that 2026 Proxy Statement 51
- changedAnnualtotalcompensationasreportedintheSummaryCompensationTABLE belowincludestheentirefairvalueasOF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION thegrantdateofastockawardgrantedinthatyear, without regard to the fact that the grant vests over a number of years and without regard to the fact that our past practice has been to make periodic grants every other year and not annually.
- changedUnlike equity awards at some companies, thestock awards reportedbelowcannot payout for an “above-target” number of shares.
- changedThe total number of restricted stock units granted to our named executive officers during the three-year period from 2023 2022to 2025 2024represented on average (i) 0.22% 0.32%of the total number of restricted stock units granted to all employees during the same three-year period and (ii) less than 0.01% of the weighted-average number of shares outstanding for the same three-year period.
- new2025 Compensation of Our Named Executive Officers In 2025, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee did not grant restricted stock unit awards to any of the named executive officers, in line with our compensation philosophy and based on the Committee’s consideration of the factors discussed above.
- changedAccordingly, 2024RealizedCompensationofourNamedExecutiveOfficersour named executive officers’ realized compensation for 2025 2024was attributable primarily to vesting of restricted stock unit awards granted in prior years.
- changedAs shown in the graph below, Mr. Jassy’s 2025 2024realized compensation (salary plus “all other compensation” as reported in the Summary Compensation Table, plus value of stock vested during the year) increased compared to 2024 2023due to our stock price performance, partially offset by a 5% 6%decrease in the number of restricted stock units vesting during the year.
- changedMr. Jassy’s 2024 Herringtonhadhigherrealized compensation increased compared to 2023 in2024thanin2023,due to our stock price performance, partially offset by a 6% 24%decrease in the number of restricted stock units vesting during the year.
- new 52
- newTABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION Mr. Garman’s 2025 realized compensation increased compared to 2024 due to our stock price performance and a 23% increase in the number of shares vesting.
- changedTABLEOFCONTENTSEXECUTIVECOMPENSATIONMr. Garman had lower realized compensation in 2024 compared to his predecessor in 2023, notwithstanding our strong stock price performance, due to a lower decreaseinthenumber of shares vesting. scheduledtovest,partiallyoffsetbyourstockpriceperformance.
- newMr. Herrington’s 2025 realized compensation increased compared to 2024 due to our stock price performance, partially offset by a 4% decrease in the number of restricted stock units vesting during the year.
- newMr. Herrington’s 2024 realized compensation increased compared to 2023 due to our stock price performance, partially offset by a 24% decrease in the number of restricted stock units vesting during the year.
- changedTABLEOFCONTENTSEXECUTIVECOMPENSATIONThe Leadership Development and Compensation Committee believes that the realized compensation of these ournamed executive officers is competitive and appropriately reflects the scope of our executives’ responsibilities and the alignment of 2026 Proxy Statement 53 ourcompensationprogramwithshareholders’interests.
- newTABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION our compensation program with shareholders’ interests.
- newFor Messrs.
- newGarman and Herrington, the Committee takes into account their responsibilities managing operations that are equivalent in size to operations managed by chief executive officers of many other Fortune 100 companies.
- changedOther Compensation and Benefits Named executive officers receive additional compensation in the form of vacation, medical, 401(k), relocation,and other benefits generally available to all of our employees.
- changedCompensation Governance Compensation Committee Process The Leadership Development and Compensation Committee may engage compensation consultants but did not do so in 2025. 2024.
- changedIn evaluating the compensation of our named executive officers in 2025, 2024,the Committee reviewed and discussed peer company compensation benchmarking information from third-party surveys, including compensation data for retail, Internet, technology, and media companies such as Alphabet, Apple, Cisco, Costco, Disney, Intel, Kroger, Meta, Microsoft, Netflix, Oracle, Salesforce, Target, UPS, and Walmart.
- changedAnti-Hedging Policy Under our trading policies, directors, executive officers, and other employees above a specified level, as well as persons sharing their households, are prohibited from engaging in any speculative, hedging, or derivative security transaction that 54 primarilyinvolvesorreferencesAmazonsecurities.
- newTABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION primarily involves or references Amazon securities.
- changedOther employees are prohibited from engaging in such hedging TABLEOFCONTENTSEXECUTIVECOMPENSATIONtransactions unless they confirm that they satisfy certain conditions, including that they are not in possession of material non-public information, and that the arrangement expires or settles automatically at least six months after the date entered into with no discretion by the employee as to the timing or manner of settlement.
- newNg 2026 Proxy Statement 55
- newTABLE OF CONTENTS
Removed from 2025
- Over the past several years, directors serving on the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee and our Lead Independent Director, with the support of our ESG Engagement and Investor Relations teams, have actively engaged with, and were responsive to, our shareholders regarding our executive compensation program.
- Consistent with its past practice of granting periodic long-term restricted stock unit awards every other year, the Committee granted restricted stock unit awards that vest over six years to each of the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table other than Messrs.
- Jassy and Bezos.
- Mr. Selipsky, who was an executive officer for part of the year, forfeited all of his unvested restricted stock units upon his separation from the Company effective June 2024.
- We are pleased with the broad and increasing level of support for our compensation practices, from our shareholders as well as others.
- Through our extensive outreach on our executive compensation program, we believe that even more shareholders have come to appreciate the view expressed by the Council of Institutional Investors, Norges Bank Investment Management, and a number of our other largest investors, that compensating executives primarily through short-term, performance-conditioned equity awards is not a panacea, or even a preferred approach, for aligning executive pay with performance, and that equity awards with long vesting terms can more effectively motivate and reward executives at a company like Amazon.
- This is borne out by ISS’s recent policy survey, in which a majority of responding investors did not support ISS’s current policy that favors performance-conditioned equity awards.
- See “Our 2024 Say-on-Pay Vote and Shareholder Engagement” below.
- 62
- This includes evaluating arrangements like annual bonuses and one-, two-, or three-year performance-vesting equity awards.
- Having considered other approaches, we continue to believe the structure of our executive compensation—emphasizing periodic grants of time-vested restricted stock units vesting over the long term—is best for our business, for three key reasons:
- blacklining:none;It focuses on the true long-term success of our business, not on isolated one-, two-, or three-year goals that can encompass only a limited and selective portion of our objectives and that can reward executives with above-target payouts even when the stock price remains flat or declines;
- blacklining:none; It strongly and directly aligns our executives’ compensation with the returns we deliver to shareholders; and
- blacklining:none; It works, having allowed us to:
- ✓
- blacklining:none; attract and retain incredibly talented people who have guided our business through countless challenges;
- blacklining:none;develop our business in ways that we could not have conceived a few years earlier, including initiatives that later became AWS, Kindle, Alexa, Fulfillment by Amazon, Marketplace, and Prime Video;
- blacklining:none;make long-term commitments to sustainability and other environmental, social, and human capital initiatives and goals; and
- blacklining:none; drive strong long-term returns to our shareholders.
- 2025 Proxy Statement 63
- We recognize that our executive compensation program differs from the approach used by many companies and does not fit the “one size fits all” approach that the major proxy advisory firms have applied when they assess absolute and relative pay-for-performance.
- Because our approach focuses on realizable compensation vesting over the long term, there are a number of important distinctions that shareholders should consider when assessing the amounts reported in the Summary Compensation Table and when comparing those amounts with amounts reported by other companies:
- blacklining:none; Amazon does not have an annual cash incentive program;
- blacklining:none;Amazon’s practice has been to grant periodic (not annual) equity awards, as opposed to the annual grants made at other companies;
- blacklining:none;Amazon’s equity awards vest over five or more years, in contrast to typical three- or four-year vesting at other companies, and the vesting schedule of our periodic equity awards is not pro-rata over the life of the award, but is typically back-end weighted; and
- blacklining:none;Amazon’s equity awards do not allow for more shares to be issued than valued in the Summary Compensation Table (i.e., no “above-target” share vesting).
- From those processes, we have determined that, based on how we run our business and what we have achieved, there are more risks than potential benefits from changing an approach that has been so successful for our shareholders over the past several decades and that holders of a majority of our shares continue to support, simply to fit into a “one size fits all” approach that does not reflect the nature of our business, that focuses on discrete near-term targets and criteria, and that runs counter to our culture.
- In the United States, we are a leader in providing our front-line employees across our customer fulfillment and transportation network an average base wage of more than $22 per hour, more than triple the federal minimum wage.
- In addition, our average total compensation for front-line employees, including the value of elected benefits, is more than $29 per hour.
- Benefits include health care, a 401(k) plan with a Company match, flexible work hours, and up to 20 weeks of paid pregnancy/parental leave (six weeks for eligible supporting parents).
- We also provide access to our pre-paid education program, called Career Choice.
- We have created hundreds of thousands of jobs since 2020, increasing our total employees worldwide to more than 1.5 million.
- Our Compensation Design
- Our simple executive compensation program has a number of unique features that reflect our goals and philosophy:
- blacklining:none; We do not tie cash or equity compensation to one or a few discrete performance goals.
- Instead of significantly restructuring the straight-forward and effective compensation program that we have had in place for decades simply to conform with the complex programs tied to discrete, safe, and short-term performance vesting criteria that fit the models preferred by the major proxy advisory firms, which could constrain innovation and deter our executives from taking longer-term risks (and that could result in above-target payouts even when our stock price declines), we believe our consistent focus on performance across the enterprise
- 64
- TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION over the long term has served our Company and our shareholders well.
- For example, when Adam Selipsky separated from the Company effective June 2024, he forfeited all of his unvested restricted stock units.
- A 2019 study by Marc Hodak that appeared in Columbia Business School’s Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, entitled “Are Performance Shares Shareholder Friendly?” (vol 31:3 Summer 2019), found that over a ten-year period, CEOs who received a significant portion of their equity awards in the form of performance-vesting stock units were awarded median grant values that were roughly 35% higher than those for CEOs who received only restricted stock or stock options.
- The same study reported that over every three-year performance period occurring over the course of a ten-year period, companies granting performance-vesting stock awards had lower three-year total shareholder returns than their 2025 Proxy Statement 65
- TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION sector peers, while companies granting only time-vested restricted stock awards or options outperformed their sector peers in every three-year period, and that the outperformance of companies granting only time-vested equity awards was statistically significant across the ten-year period.
- In a commentary published in 2024 on the Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance website, Norges Bank Investment Management stated that it found the same performance results among the companies in its portfolio.
- Moreover, performance-vested equity awards are less transparent than the restricted stock units that Amazon grants.
- Had we set one-, two-, or three-year performance goals in the past based on achieving strong financial performance or based on achieving discrete operational objectives, we likely would have paid out far more in compensation (150%, 200%, or more) than we actually did.
- In contrast, our executive compensation program is simple and transparent.
- And investors agree; among investors who responded to ISS’s 2024 policy survey, a majority responded in favor of an approach other than ISS simply continuing its historical approach of favoring the use of performance-vested equity awards over time-vested equity awards at U.S. companies.
- 66
- TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION Our 2024 Say-on-Pay Vote and Shareholder Engagement At our 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, 78% of the votes cast supported our advisory vote to approve the compensation of our named executive officers.
- We are pleased with the broad and increasing level of support for our compensation practices, which we believe reflects the success of our extensive engagement with shareholders and our responsiveness during the three years preceding the 2024 Annual Meeting.
- Through our extensive outreach on our executive compensation program, we believe that even more shareholders have come to appreciate the view expressed by the Council of Institutional Investors, Norges Bank Investment Management, and a number of our other largest investors, that compensating executives primarily through short-term, performance-conditioned equity awards is not a panacea, or even a preferred approach, for aligning executive pay with performance, and that equity awards with long vesting terms can more effectively motivate and reward executives at a company like Amazon.
- During each of the three years preceding the 2024 Annual Meeting, we engaged with shareholders owning over 30% of our stock regarding our executive compensation program.
- As detailed in our proxy statements in prior years, the Chair of the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee and/or our Lead Independent Director, with the support of our ESG Engagement and Investor Relations teams, have also engaged with shareholders extensively (including, prior to our 2024 Annual Meeting, with shareholders owning approximately 25% of our stock), including in one-on-one or small group meetings with most of our 20 largest shareholders.
- Our engagement also occurred in meetings that included investors beyond our 50 largest shareholders, and we received comments from some shareholders in writing.
- Many shareholders who supported our advisory vote on named executive officer compensation expressed strong support for the program and the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee.
- A few shareholders stated that, while they generally favor discrete performance goals, they appreciated the Committee’s thoughtful explanations of the design and operation of our compensation program and understand that the current program is tailored to Amazon’s business, works effectively, and does not lead to “above-target” or windfall payouts.
- Some shareholders expressed a strongly held view that equity awards should include performance-vesting conditions, although there remains no consensus of what would be appropriate performance goals for Amazon, with a number of our larger investors strongly disfavoring ESG-based vesting criteria.
- A number of shareholders stated that they simply deferred to the recommendation of one of the proxy advisory firms, including one top 50 investor who stated that they did not object to our executive compensation program.
- Following its consideration and discussion of these matters, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee determined that, based on how we run our business and what we have achieved, there are more risks than potential benefits from changing an approach that has been so successful for our shareholders over the past several decades and that holders of a vast majority of our shares continue to support.
- The Committee continues to believe that the Company’s compensation program is currently operating exactly as intended, aligning executives’ interests with both near-term and long-term shareholder returns.
- 2025 Proxy Statement 67
- Considerations for 2024 Equity Grants The Leadership Development and Compensation Committee did not grant a restricted stock unit award for Mr. Jassy in 2024 and has not granted him an award since 2021.
- The Committee granted routine, periodic restricted stock unit awards to Messrs.
- Olsavsky, Garman, Herrington, Zapolsky, and Selipsky, consistent with the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee’s past practice of granting such awards every other year.
- Each of these restricted stock unit awards vests over six years, assuming continued employment.
- In establishing these grants, the Committee reviewed realizable 68
- TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION compensation data for the executives currently and over the term of the awards, taking into account the vesting schedule of equity awards granted to them previously.
- The Committee also reviewed current year and three-year average reported market compensation survey data for peer companies, including those discussed below under “Compensation Governance; Compensation Committee Process.” Other relevant factors and considerations supporting these decisions are addressed below.
- • blacklining:none;Mr. Olsavsky received a restricted stock unit award for 139,665 shares that vests over 6 years, through 2030, with approximately 70% of the shares scheduled to vest more than three years after grant (in 2027 through 2030).
- In making this grant, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee considered the factors discussed below under “Compensation Committee Process” with respect to periodic grants, including Mr. Olsavsky’s experience and skill in managing the Company’s financial organization; his sustained performance over the years preceding the grant; and his expected future contributions, including his continued oversight of our global finance organization.
- Key aspects of Mr. Olsavsky’s performance include: his planning, oversight, and execution of the Company’s capital structure and capital allocation strategy; his efforts managing our credit arrangements and strategic management and oversight of our liquidity to finance our operations and continue our expansion; his role supporting our growth in operating cash flows, which increased from approximately $46 billion in 2021 to approximately $85 billion in 2023; his contribution to maintaining strong internal controls over financial reporting as the scope of our operations grew; and his oversight of controlled growth of business expenses and focus on improving operating margins.
- • blacklining:none;Mr. Garman received a restricted stock unit award for 180,721 shares that vests over 6 years, through 2030, with approximately 65% of the shares scheduled to vest more than three years after grant (in 2027 through 2030).
- He did not receive a separate restricted stock unit award in connection with his promotion to CEO AWS in June 2024.
- In making this grant, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee considered the factors discussed below with respect to periodic grants, including: Mr. Garman’s experience and skill supporting the management of the AWS business as Senior Vice President, AWS Sales, Marketing, and Global Services, which positioned him to seamlessly succeed Mr. Selipsky following Mr. Selipsky’s resignation; his sustained performance over the years preceding the grant; his expected future contributions, including his continued leadership in supporting expansion and innovation at AWS and building AWS’s AI capabilities; and his level of responsibility relative to compensation for senior executives of comparable businesses.
- • blacklining:none;Mr. Herrington received a restricted stock unit award for 186,293 shares that vests over 6 years, through 2030, with approximately 80% of the shares scheduled to vest more than three years after grant (in 2027 through 2030).
- In making this grant, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee considered the factors discussed below with respect to periodic grants, including: Mr. Herrington’s experience and skill in managing the Worldwide Amazon Stores business; his sustained performance over the years preceding the grant; and his expected future contributions, including his continued oversight of global operations expansion and customer-focused retail initiatives throughout the world.
- Key aspects of Mr. Herrington’s performance include: the increase in Worldwide Amazon Stores operations net sales from 2021 to 2023; the continued investment in our fulfillment network and technology and the expansion of our logistics and delivery capabilities, including expanded access to various same-day delivery options for Prime members; the regionalization of our U.S. fulfillment network, which helped us achieve our fastest-ever delivery speeds for Prime members while also lowering our cost to serve; the expansion of generative AI and machine learning capabilities across the Worldwide Amazon Stores business; his oversight of ongoing workplace health and safety efforts, including our progress highlighted in our safety reporting; his continued focus on improving operating margins and reducing cost to serve; and Mr. Herrington’s level of responsibility relative to compensation for senior executives of comparably-sized businesses at peer companies, including that the size of operations he manages is equivalent to those managed by chief executive officers of many other Fortune 100 companies.
- • blacklining:none;Mr. Zapolsky received a restricted stock unit award for 139,665 shares that vests over 6 years, through 2030, with approximately 70% of the shares scheduled to vest more than three years after grant (in 2027 through 2030).
- In making this grant, the Leadership Development and Compensation Committee considered the factors discussed below with respect to periodic grants, including: Mr. Zapolsky’s experience and skill in managing the Company’s global legal and public policy organizations; his sustained performance over the years preceding the grant; and his expected future contributions, including his continued oversight of our global legal and public policy organizations.
- Key aspects of Mr. Zapolsky’s performance include: the quality and thoroughness of his counsel and advice to management and the Board on legal, regulatory, and policy issues arising in the course of the Company’s growth; the development of legal, compliance, and public policy programs and initiatives that he has overseen to support the Worldwide Amazon Stores operations, AWS, other businesses, and the finance organization as those groups have embarked on new projects, entered new jurisdictions, and undertaken new businesses; his management of actual and threatened claims, litigation, reviews, investigations, and 2025 Proxy Statement 69
More changes truncated for legibility. Open the filings on SEC for full prose.
Cells reading “Not extracted” mean the deterministic extractor didn’t pick up that disclosure for the listed filing — not that it isn’t in the proxy. Open the company workspace and use Ask to query the CD&A directly.