OT ... Lizzie, re "I'll bet if you look very hard at where those options went in the years you cite... the majority went to 5 or so guys at the top (just a guess, I think I'm right though)."
I cited the last two fiscal years, FY01 and FY02. ORCL options generally vest ratably over four years. Per SFAS 123, options need not be expensed before vesting, so the last 25% of the options granted in 1997 probably weren't expensed until FY01.
For fiscal years '97 through '01, the top five executives received 46%, 3%, 14%, 21%, and 0%, respectively. The numbers for 1997 and 2000 are high due to unusually large grants to Mr. Lane and Mr. Ellison, respectively.
In no year is the percentage greater than 50%. Therefore, contrary to your guess, it appears mathematically impossible for the "majority" of options to have gone "to 5 or so guys at the top". (Proxies do not include details about options to executives below the top 5, so it's pointless to go there, IMO.)
Ron |
