Why Perion Network Ltd.'s (NASDAQ:PERI) CEO Pay Matters To You

Doron Gerstel became the CEO of Perion Network Ltd. (NASDAQ:PERI) in 2017. This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at companies of similar size. Next, we'll consider growth that the business demonstrates. And finally we will reflect on how common stockholders have fared in the last few years, as a secondary measure of performance. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid.

Check out our latest analysis for Perion Network

How Does Doron Gerstel's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

At the time of writing, our data says that Perion Network Ltd. has a market cap of US$136m, and reported total annual CEO compensation of US$1.2m for the year to December 2018. While this analysis focuses on total compensation, it's worth noting the salary is lower, valued at US$438k. Importantly, there may be performance hurdles relating to the non-salary component of the total compensation. We examined a group of similar sized companies, with market capitalizations of below US$200m. The median CEO total compensation in that group is US$491k.

As you can see, Doron Gerstel is paid more than the median CEO pay at companies of a similar size, in the same market. However, this does not necessarily mean Perion Network Ltd. is paying too much. A closer look at the performance of the underlying business will give us a better idea about whether the pay is particularly generous.

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

Is Perion Network Ltd. Growing?

Perion Network Ltd. has increased its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 35% a year, over the last three years (using a line of best fit). In the last year, its revenue is down 7.3%.

Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. Revenue growth is a real positive for growth, but ultimately profits are more important. Shareholders might be interested in this free visualization of analyst forecasts.

Has Perion Network Ltd. Been A Good Investment?

Boasting a total shareholder return of 56% over three years, Perion Network Ltd. has done well by shareholders. So they may not be at all concerned if the CEO were to be paid more than is normal for companies around the same size.

In Summary...

We compared total CEO remuneration at Perion Network Ltd. with the amount paid at companies with a similar market capitalization. We found that it pays well over the median amount paid in the benchmark group.

However, the earnings per share growth over three years is certainly impressive. Even better, returns to shareholders have been plentiful, over the same time period. As a result of this good performance, the CEO remuneration may well be quite reasonable. If you think CEO compensation levels are interesting you will probably really like this free visualization of insider trading at Perion Network.

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.

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.