How much is the boss of Apple Computers paid

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Q.� How much, then

A.� Apple's sales fell 33% in its fiscal year ending in September. It expects a small loss in its retail operations for the current fiscal quarter and in all of fiscal 2002, citing the weakening economy and terrorist attacks.

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Q.� Look, how much was he paid

A.� Apple originally forecast the retail operation would break even in the current quarter and make a small profit this fiscal year, but scaled back its goals for the business when reporting fiscal fourth-quarter results in October.

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Q.� Answer the question!

A.� A dollar.

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Q.� What

A.� Yup. Steve Jobs, founder and chief executive of Apple Computer Inc, based in Cupertino, California, was paid an annual salary of one dollar. A buck. That's 69p. He drew the same pay as last year and the year before, the company said in its annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Q.� So he received just that from the company

A.� Oh no. Mr Jobs has share options amounting to 5.7% of the company. He was also given a private jet as a bonus in 1999, but it was not recorded as compensation until 2001.

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Q.� I see. What about the other directors

A.� Four other top executives were rewarded with options for one million shares each. The 10-year executive options, which carry an exercise price of $16.81, are worth just over $5 million. They could be worth as must as $26.8 million if Apple shares appreciate by 10% annually.

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Chief financial officer Fred Anderson drew a base salary of $657,039, down from $660,414 in 2000. The second highest-paid executive was Jonathan Rubinstein, Apple's senior hardware engineer, who earned $469,737.

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Now that's more like it, isn't it

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Steve Cunningham