Early-Filer Ups and Downs for Total Shareholder Return and CEO Pay.

Compensation Advisory Partners' review of CEO pay levels at 50 companies with fiscal years ending between August and October 2022 found median CEO total direct compensation to be up by 4% when compared with the same period in 2021. The firm's report, Early Filers: Performance Up, TSR Down, CEO Pay Grows Modestly, finds overall fiscal year 2022 financial performance was up by approximately 10% while total shareholder return was down by 16% because of factors such as economic uncertainty and macroeconomic challenges.

Among the key findings of the report are:

* Overall 2022 financial performance--which is measured by revenue, pre-tax income and earning per share (EPS)--was solid, with median revenue, pre-tax income and EPS all up compared with 2021 levels.

* The 4% increase in median CEO total direct compensation was driven in large part by a 15% increase in the grant-date value of long-term incentives.

* Median say-on-pay support remains strong at 95% (the third straight year it remained at that number). When compared with the prior year, there was a significant increase in the number of companies receiving 80% support or higher, with 98%...