CEO and Executive Compensation Practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500: 2026
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CEO and Executive Compensation Practices in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500: 2026

23 September 2026 / Report

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This report examines CEO and executive compensation disclosed by US public companies during the 2026 proxy season. Drawing on extensive data for the Russell 3000 and S&P 500, it covers CEO pay, compensation elements, representation of women among CEOs, named executive officers (NEOs), say-on-pay voting, incentive design, perquisites, and the regulatory outlook. The broader picture is an executive compensation landscape that is becoming more equity driven and more differentiated by company scale, with scrutiny increasingly concentrated around exceptional awards, above-target incentive outcomes, and arrangements such as executive security.

This report examines CEO and executive compensation disclosed by US public companies during the 2026 proxy season. Drawing on extensive data for the Russell 3000 and S&P 500, it covers CEO pay, compensation elements, representation of women among CEOs, named executive officers (NEOs), say-on-pay voting, incentive design, perquisites, and the regulatory outlook. The broader picture is an executive compensation landscape that is becoming more equity driven and more differentiated by company scale, with scrutiny increasingly concentrated around exceptional awards, above-target incentive outcomes, and arrangements such as executive security.

Authors

Andrew Jones

Andrew Jones Andrew Jones, PhD

Director, Governance & Sustainability Center, US
The Conference Board

Read Bio

Ariane Marchis-Mouren

Ariane Marchis-Mouren Ariane Marchis-Mouren

Senior Researcher, Corporate Governance
The Conference Board

Read Bio

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