How Cotton was paid
$1.5M in total for 2024, as reported in the Summary Compensation Table. Equity awards are valued at grant, not at what they turned out to be worth.
Named executive officers
| Executive | Salary | Bonus | Stock | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen CottonPresident and Chief Executive Officer | $511,000 | $358,000 | $568,000 | $1,460,000 |
| Judd MerrillChief Financial Officer | $375,000 | $228,000 | $244,000 | $869,000 |
| Benjamin TaeckerChief Engineering and Operating Officer | $300,000 | $105,000 | $147,000 | $572,000 |
What changed and why
- $1.460M$1.460 million was Stephen Cotton’s 2024 total compensation, versus $2.463 million in 2023.
- $568K$568,000 in 2024 stock awards represented Cotton’s largest compensation component.
- 271,927 RSUs were granted to Cotton in December 2024, settling in six semi-annual installments.
- 45,321 PSUs were granted to Cotton based on relative TSR, with measurement dates through December 2027.
- 50%45,321 additional PSUs were tied to stock-price hurdles of 50%, 100%, and 150% increases.
- 100%Cotton’s employment agreement provides short- and long-term bonus eligibility of up to 100% and 200% of salary.
Other Aqua Metals proxy statements
- 2026 proxy statement
Stephen Cotton paid $1.9M (+28% on the year).
Filed Jul 08, 2026
About this page
Figures are automated and can be wrong; check the filing for the exact numbers. Totals follow SEC rules, which value stock and option awards at grant. Read the DEF 14A proxy statement for footnotes and the compensation committee's full reasoning.