Pfizer CEO compensation jumped 17% in 2020, as COVID-19 vaccine was developed but stock fell

Pfizer Inc.'s stock may have lost ground last year, and so far this year, while its peer group gained ground, but 2020 could still be considered a good year for the health care company, as it developed, along with its partner BioNTech SE , one of the three COVID-19 vaccines in use in the U.S. It was certainly a good year for Chief Executive Albert Bourla, whose total compensation increased 17.3% to $21,033,570, from $17,928,963 in 2019, according to a proxy filing on Friday. His 2020 compensation included a salary of $1,650,000, was well as option award, non-equity incentive plan compensation and stock awards. Bourla became chief executive in January 2019, and added the Chairman title in January 2020. In comparison, total compensation for Chief Executive Alex Gorsky of Johnson & Johnson , which also has a COVID-19 vaccine in use, rose 16.6% to $29,575,974, including $1,650,000 in salary, up from $1,600,000 in 2019. Shares of Pfizer have lost 5.2% year to date, after slipping 0.8% in 2020. In comparison, J&J shares rose 7.9% in 2020, while the SPDR Health Care Select Sector ETF climbed 11.4% and the S&P 500 rallied 16.3%.

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