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Why CSL Limited's (ASX:CSL) CEO Pay Matters To You

In 2013 Paul Perreault was appointed CEO of CSL Limited (ASX:CSL). This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other large companies. Then we'll look at a snap shot of the business growth. And finally we will reflect on how common stockholders have fared in the last few years, as a secondary measure of performance. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO.

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View our latest analysis for CSL

How Does Paul Perreault's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

Our data indicates that CSL Limited is worth AU$90b, and total annual CEO compensation is US$11m. (This figure is for the year to June 2018). While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth noting the salary is lower, valued at US$1.7m. We took a group of companies with market capitalizations over US$8.0b, and calculated the median CEO total compensation to be US$3.9m. There aren't very many mega-cap companies, so we had to take a wide range to get a meaningful comparison figure.

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It would therefore appear that CSL Limited pays Paul Perreault more than the median CEO remuneration at large companies, in the same market. However, this fact alone doesn't mean the remuneration is too high. We can get a better idea of how generous the pay is by looking at the performance of the underlying business.

The graphic below shows how CEO compensation at CSL has changed from year to year.

ASX:CSL CEO Compensation, May 15th 2019
ASX:CSL CEO Compensation, May 15th 2019

Is CSL Limited Growing?

CSL Limited has increased its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 13% a year, over the last three years (using a line of best fit). Its revenue is up 12% over last year.

Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. It's a real positive to see this sort of growth in a single year. That suggests a healthy and growing business. You might want to check this free visual report on analyst forecasts for future earnings.

Has CSL Limited Been A Good Investment?

Boasting a total shareholder return of 84% over three years, CSL Limited has done well by shareholders. As a result, some may believe the CEO should be paid more than is normal for companies of similar size.

In Summary...

We compared the total CEO remuneration paid by CSL Limited, and compared it to remuneration at a group of other large companies. Our data suggests that it pays above the median CEO pay within that group.

However we must not forget that the EPS growth has been very strong over three years. On top of that, in the same period, returns to shareholders have been great. Considering this fine result for shareholders, we daresay the CEO compensation might be apt. Whatever your view on compensation, you might want to check if insiders are buying or selling CSL shares (free trial).

If you want to buy a stock that is better than CSL, this free list of high return, low debt companies is a great place to look.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.