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Elon Musk has secured a major legal victory after the Delaware Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision and reinstated his controversial 2018 compensation package as chief executive officer of Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA). The ruling, issued on Friday, restores a stock-based pay plan now valued at nearly $140 billion, reaffirming Musk’s entitlement to what was once the largest executive compensation package in U.S. corporate history.
The 2018 Tesla pay package was originally approved by shareholders and designed to reward Musk only if Tesla achieved a series of ambitious market value and operational milestones. At the time of authorization, the plan was unprecedented in size and structure. Although it has since been eclipsed by a separate compensation plan approved by Tesla shareholders in 2024—potentially worth up to $1 trillion if future performance targets are met—the 2018 package remains a landmark case in executive pay governance.
The compensation plan had been frozen following a lawsuit brought by a Tesla investor who owned just nine shares. The case was heard in Delaware, where Tesla was incorporated at the time. Delaware Chancery Court Chancellor Kathaleen McCormick ruled that the Tesla board failed to prove the compensation plan was fair to shareholders, despite it being approved twice by investors. She concluded that the scale of the payout was excessive and placed an unfair burden on shareholders.
However, the Delaware Supreme Court disagreed with that assessment. In its ruling, the court stated that the lower court erred in canceling the pay package and described the decision as “inequitable.” The justices emphasized that nullifying the plan effectively left Musk uncompensated for six years of work and leadership that significantly increased Tesla’s value.
The decision marks a critical moment for Tesla corporate governance, executive compensation debates, and shareholder rights, while reinforcing Musk’s central role in Tesla’s long-term growth and strategic vision.
