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Massive new equity awards for Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) CEO Sundar Pichai

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Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Alphabet Inc. has approved a new triennial equity compensation package for CEO Sundar Pichai, while keeping his annual salary at $2,000,000 and continuing to make him ineligible for an annual bonus.

The package includes two tranches of Alphabet performance stock units (PSUs), each with a target value of $63,000,000, tied to Alphabet’s total shareholder return relative to S&P 100 companies over performance periods spanning 2026–2027 and 2026–2028. Depending on results, 0%–200% of the target PSUs can vest. He also receives Alphabet restricted stock units (GSUs) with an on-target value of $84,000,000, vesting gradually over three years.

In addition, Pichai is granted Waymo and Wing bet performance units (BPUs) with target values of approximately $130,000,000 and $45,000,000, respectively. These vest after a three-year performance period only if per-unit values at Waymo LLC and Wing Aviation LLC increase, and can also range from 0%–200% of target. The awards include detailed provisions for vesting upon death, termination for cause, and termination without cause or for good reason.

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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549 
_________________________________________________
FORM 8-K
_____________________________________________________________
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)
March 4, 2026
____________________________________________________________
ALPHABET INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) 
_______________________________________________________________
Delaware001-3758061-1767919
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)(Commission File Number)(IRS Employer Identification No.)
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(650) 253-0000
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Not Applicable    
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report) 
______________________________________________________________
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par valueGOOGLNasdaq Stock Market LLC
(Nasdaq Global Select Market)
Class C Capital Stock, $0.001 par valueGOOGNasdaq Stock Market LLC
(Nasdaq Global Select Market)
2.375% Senior Notes due 2028Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
2.500% Senior Notes due 2029Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
2.875% Senior Notes due 2031Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
3.000% Senior Notes due 2033Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
3.125% Senior Notes due 2034Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
3.375% Senior Notes due 2037Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
3.500% Senior Notes due 2038Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
4.000% Senior Notes due 2044Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
3.875% Senior Notes due 2045Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
4.000% Senior Notes due 2054Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
4.375% Senior Notes due 2064Nasdaq Stock Market LLC



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On March 4, 2026, the Leadership Development, Inclusion and Compensation Committee (the “Committee”) of the Board of Directors of Alphabet Inc. (“Alphabet”) approved compensation for Sundar Pichai, Chief Executive Officer of Alphabet and Google LLC (“CEO”).
There is no change to Mr. Pichai’s annual salary of $2,000,000 (unchanged since 2020), and he is not eligible for an annual bonus.
The Committee currently follows a triennial grant cycle for CEO equity awards. Mr. Pichai’s last equity award was granted in December 2022, and prior to that in December 2019.

The Committee recognizes Mr. Pichai’s strong performance as CEO. The triennial award consists of both performance-based
and time-based equity.

New Award - Alphabet PSUs and GSUs

The on-target value of the Alphabet performance stock unit (PSU) award is unchanged from the 2022 award. For this triennial award, Mr. Pichai was granted two tranches of Alphabet PSUs with a target value of $63,000,000 each. The target number of PSUs was calculated by dividing the target value of the total PSU grant by the average closing price of Alphabet’s Class C capital stock during the month of February 2026 (the “Average Closing Price”). The PSUs will depend on Alphabet’s total shareholder return (relative to S&P 100 companies) (“TSR”), and this performance-based equity may not vest at all. The vest will be based on the TSR performance (i) over a 2026-2027 performance period for the first tranche, and (ii) over a 2026-2028 performance period for the second tranche, subject to continued employment on each applicable vesting date. Depending upon Alphabet’s relative TSR performance, the number of PSUs that vest in a tranche will range from 0%-200% of target. Each vested PSU will entitle Mr. Pichai to receive one share of Alphabet’s Class C capital stock.

The on-target value of the Alphabet restricted stock unit (GSU) award is unchanged from the 2022 award. For this triennial award, Mr. Pichai was granted $84,000,000 in the form of Alphabet GSUs. The number of GSUs was calculated by dividing the GSU award amount by the Average Closing Price. These GSUs will vest over three years as follows: 1/12th of the grant will vest March 25, 2026. An additional 1/36th will vest on the 25th day of the month from April 25, 2026 through January 25, 2027, and on the 1st day of the month from March 1, 2027 through January 1, 2029, in each case subject to continued employment on each applicable vesting date. Upon vesting, each GSU will entitle Mr. Pichai to receive one share of Alphabet’s Class C capital stock.

New Award - Waymo & Wing - Bet Performance Units (BPUs)

The triennial award also includes a grant of Waymo BPUs and Wing BPUs to Mr. Pichai with a target value of approximately $130,000,000 and $45,000,000, respectively. The Waymo and Wing BPUs are eligible to vest following the completion of a three-year performance period and if vested, will settle in Waymo and Wing Common Units, respectively. The number of BPUs that will vest, if any, will be determined based on Waymo LLC's and Wing Aviation LLC’s increase in per unit value over a target 3-year period, as established by the Committee. The actual number of Waymo or Wing Common Units earned may range from 0% to 200% of the target number of Waymo and Wing BPUs, with 100% earned for achieving the target level of performance. The target number of Waymo and Wing BPUs will be determined by dividing the target value of each award by the fair value of Waymo or Wing Common Units, as applicable, as of the grant date, determined in accordance with each company's standard valuation methodology.

Each vested Waymo and Wing BPU will entitle Mr. Pichai to receive one Common Unit of Waymo LLC and Wing Aviation LLC, respectively, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable award agreement and the transfer restrictions and other terms under the applicable governing documents. No Common Units will be earned if there is no increase in the respective per unit value over the performance period.



The grant of Waymo and Wing BPUs further supports Alphabet’s long-standing goal of investing in new technologies and reflects Mr. Pichai’s critical role as Alphabet CEO in overseeing its Other Bets. Waymo and Wing are tackling enormous challenges in autonomous driving and delivery, have made strong progress under Mr. Pichai’s supervision, and show strong potential.

Current and previous incentives in Mr Pichai’s compensation have benefited Alphabet and its stockholders significantly. In making this award, the Committee has determined that further incentivizing Mr. Pichai to focus his efforts on developing and scaling Alphabet’s later stage Other Bets, such as Waymo and Wing, is in the best interests of Alphabet and its stockholders, and is designed to maximize long-term stockholder value. In conjunction with this award, the Alphabet Board of Directors will maintain active oversight and direction of material matters relating to Waymo and Wing, ensuring that these strategic assets are managed in a manner consistent with its fiduciary duties to Alphabet and its stockholders.

Upon death, all unvested GSUs will accelerate immediately and all performance-based equity will immediately vest at target (or based on actual performance if the performance period ended prior to death). Upon termination of employment by Alphabet for cause, all unvested equity will be forfeited. Upon termination of employment by Alphabet without cause, or by Mr. Pichai for good reason, Mr. Pichai will be eligible to vest in a pro-rata number of all performance-based equity (based on actual performance at the end of the performance period). All Alphabet GSUs and PSUs are subject to the terms and conditions of Alphabet’s Amended and Restated 2021 Stock Plan and the applicable award agreement. The Waymo and Wing BPUs are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable award agreement.

The foregoing description is only a summary of the terms of the respective awards and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the applicable award agreements, which will be filed as exhibits to Alphabet’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2026.






SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
ALPHABET INC.
Date: March 6, 2026/s/ KATHRYN W. HALL
Kathryn W. Hall
Assistant Secretary


FAQ

What changes did Alphabet (GOOG) make to Sundar Pichai’s CEO compensation in 2026?

Alphabet approved a new triennial equity package for Sundar Pichai while keeping his salary at $2,000,000 and no annual bonus. The package centers on large performance-based and time-based stock awards in Alphabet, plus sizeable performance units tied to Waymo and Wing.

How large are Sundar Pichai’s new Alphabet stock awards disclosed by GOOG?

Pichai received two tranches of Alphabet performance stock units, each targeting $63,000,000, plus restricted stock units with an on-target value of $84,000,000. Vesting depends on Alphabet’s relative total shareholder return and continued employment over multi‑year periods starting in 2026.

What are Waymo and Wing bet performance units (BPUs) in Alphabet’s (GOOG) filing?

The BPUs are performance-based awards tied to Waymo and Wing. Pichai’s grant targets about $130,000,000 in Waymo BPUs and $45,000,000 in Wing BPUs. They can vest after a three‑year period only if each business’s per‑unit value increases sufficiently.

How do Sundar Pichai’s new PSUs at Alphabet (GOOG) vest?

The Alphabet PSUs vest based on total shareholder return relative to S&P 100 companies. One tranche measures performance over 2026–2027 and another over 2026–2028. Each tranche can vest from 0%–200% of target, subject to Pichai’s continued employment at vesting dates.

What happens to Sundar Pichai’s Alphabet (GOOG) awards if his employment ends?

If Alphabet terminates Pichai for cause, all unvested equity is forfeited. If terminated without cause or he resigns for good reason, he may vest in a pro‑rata portion of performance-based awards based on actual performance. Upon death, unvested GSUs and performance awards accelerate at specified levels.

Why did Alphabet (GOOG) link Sundar Pichai’s pay to Waymo and Wing?

Alphabet stated that the Waymo and Wing BPUs support its long-standing goal of investing in new technologies and reflect Pichai’s critical role overseeing Other Bets. The structure is intended to focus his efforts on developing and scaling later-stage projects like Waymo and Wing.

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