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Companies USA Today Co.

USA Today (TDAY): executive pay, fiscal 2025

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CEO total pay$4,085,499CEO Michael Reed · source
Say-on-pay support98.32%Latest vote · source
CEO vs. named peers6th pct.Against its disclosed peer group
CEO pay ratio74:1To the median employee · source

CEO pay, last three years

  • $3,862,232FY2023
  • $4,492,082FY2024
  • $4,085,499FY2025

CEO total pay was $4,085,499 in fiscal 2025, down from $4,492,082 in fiscal 2024.

FY2025: salary $903,462 · bonus $0 · stock awards $1,499,999 · option awards $0

Frequently asked questions

Who was the highest-paid executive at USA Today Co. in fiscal 2025?
As disclosed, Michael Reed (CEO) was the highest-paid executive at USA Today Co. in fiscal 2025, with total compensation of $4,085,499.
How does USA Today Co.'s chief executive pay compare to its disclosed peer group?
As disclosed, Michael Reed's total compensation ranked at the 6th percentile of USA Today Co.'s disclosed peer group.
What is USA Today Co.'s CEO-to-median employee pay ratio?
As disclosed, USA Today Co.'s CEO-to-median employee pay ratio was 74:1.
How did shareholders vote on USA Today Co.'s executive compensation?
As disclosed, 98.32% of shareholders supported USA Today Co.'s executive compensation in the latest say-on-pay vote.
How much does USA Today Co. spend in total on board compensation for fiscal 2025?
As disclosed, USA Today Co. reported total board compensation of $1,936,984 for fiscal 2025.

Answers are drawn only from the figures disclosed in this brief and cited to their location in the source filing. Where a figure required for an answer is not disclosed, that is stated rather than estimated.

Full detail

Every table from the filing. Open any section.

Summary compensation table
Named executive officerSalaryBonusStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension / NQDCAll otherTotal
Michael Reed$903,462$0$1,499,999$0$1,634,994$0$47,044$4,085,499
CEO
Douglas Horne200,00000095,57001,725,0132,020,583
Former CFO
Trisha Gosser595,1430370,0000413,44803,5001,382,091
CFO

A dash means the company reported no figure in that column; 0 means it reported zero. Figures are as printed in the filing, without adjustment.

Three-year trend — total compensation per named executive

Named executive officerFY2025 totalFY2024 totalFY2023 totalΔ FY2024→2025
Michael Reed$4,085,499$4,492,082$3,862,232↓ −406,583
Douglas Horne2,020,5832,437,1712,498,242↓ −416,588
Trisha Gosser1,382,091———

Prior-year totals as disclosed in the corresponding proxy; deltas are computed values with the derivation shown in the register.

Incentive-plan design — the Compensation Discussion & Analysis

The primary objectives of the executive compensation program are to attract and retain executives with the requisite skills and experience to achieve the business mission and improve long-term stockholder value, and to motivate executives to achieve key business objectives and drive operating performance.

CEO STI target (% of salary)—
CEO LTI target (% of salary)—
Independent consultantMeridian Compensation Partners LLC
Clawback policytrue
Anti-hedgingtrue
Anti-pledgingtrue
Equity grants and outstanding awards

Grants of plan-based awards — fiscal year 2025

ExecutiveAwardGrant dateThresholdTargetGrantedMaximumGrant-date fair value
Michael ReedRSU2025-08-05——359,712—$1,499,999
Trisha GosserRSU2025-08-05——88,729—370,000

Vehicle mix — grant-date fair value by award type

Named executive officerTime-vested (RSU)Performance-vested (PSU)Options / SARs% performance-vested
Michael Reed$1,499,999$0$00.0%
Trisha Gosser370,000000.0%

% performance-vested = PSU grant-date fair value ÷ (RSU + PSU + Options), a computed value with the derivation shown in the register.

Outstanding equity awards at fiscal year-end 2025

ExecutiveAwardShares unvestedExercise priceMarket value unvested
Trisha GosserRSU20,786—$107,048
Trisha GosserRSU24,317—125,233
Trisha GosserRSU88,729—456,954
Michael ReedRSU226,758—1,167,804
Michael ReedRSU273,224—1,407,104
Michael ReedRSU359,712—1,852,517
Director compensation
DirectorCash feesStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentiveAll otherTotal
Kevin M. SheehanIndependent · Lead Independent Director · Audit (Chair) · Compensation · Finance (Chair)$160,000$124,998——$0$284,998
Debra A. SandlerIndependent103,950124,998——17,000245,948
Amy ReinhardIndependent116,050124,998——0241,048
Barbara W. WallIndependent · Nominating/Governance (Chair) · Transformation · Finance116,050124,998——0241,048
John Jeffry Louis IIIIndependent · Compensation (Chair) · Nominating/Governance · Finance116,050124,998——0241,048
Theodore P. JanulisIndependent · Audit · Compensation · Nominating/Governance103,950124,998——0228,948
Laurence TaricaIndependent · Audit · Nominating/Governance · Transformation · Not standing for re-election103,950124,998——0228,948
Maha Al-EmamIndependent · Audit · Transformation · Technology100,000124,998——0224,998
Michael E. ReedEmployee director · Board Chair—————0

Board fee structure and ownership guideline

Annual cash retainer$100,000
Annual equity retainer$125,000
Per board meeting fee—
Committee chair fees (audit / comp / nom-gov)20,000 / 20,000 / 20,000
Stock ownership guideline$300,000

Total cost of the board

ComponentFY2025
Cash retainers and fees$920,000
Equity awards (grant-date value)$999,984
All other compensation$17,000
Total cost of the board$1,936,984

Computed as the sum of the director compensation table rows above; inputs and formula shown in the register.

Peer group, and who names USA Today as a peer

Companies that benchmark against TDAY

2 companies name TDAY as a compensation peer

Each company listed discloses TDAY in its own benchmarking peer group, as disclosed in each company's most recent proxy statement within the last two proxy seasons. Two companies are therefore absent by design: one that named TDAY in an earlier year and no longer does, and one whose own most recent disclosure is older than the last two seasons.

Chief executive pay against the peer group

Most recent fiscal-year chief executive compensation at each disclosed peer, taken from that company’s own proxy statement.

RankCompanyFYChief executiveSalaryStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentiveTotal
1USA Today Co.2025Michael Reed$903,462$1,499,999$0$1,634,994$4,085,499

Each peer’s compensation is from its most recently filed proxy; fiscal years differ by company. Each peer’s figures come from its own filings; the subject company is highlighted. Peers whose chief executive compensation is outside our coverage universe are stated as such, never left blank.

Say-on-pay history and pay ratio
Meeting yearMeeting dateForAgainstAbstainSupportOutcome
20262026-06-01105,249,0931,728,65169,26898.32%Passed
20252025-06-0293,927,2033,819,5721,223,65694.9%Passed
20242024-06-03100,188,9162,379,78198,33197.59%Passed
20232023-06-0594,831,95012,540,989293,14888.08%Passed
20222022-06-0686,077,10213,944,543239,03485.85%Passed
20212021-06-0777,112,42014,642,111349,24083.72%Passed

Rows are labeled by annual-meeting year, with the meeting date beside each; the vote held in a given year acts on the prior fiscal year’s compensation.

Say-on-pay — history, company’s computation

Meeting yearMeeting dateApproval — company’s computation
20262026-06-0198.32%a
20252025-06-0294.9%b
20242024-06-0397.59%c

a. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “Advisory vote on executive compensation ("say-on-pay") -- Majority of shares present and entitled to vote thereon (2) | Abstentions: Same effect as vote cast against proposal”.

b. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “Advisory vote on executive compensation ("say-on-pay") -- Majority of shares present and entitled to vote thereon (2) | Abstentions: Same effect as vote cast against proposal”.

c. Approved under the standard stated in the filing — “Majority of shares present and entitled to vote thereon (2) | Abstentions: Same effect as vote cast against proposal”.

Approval percentages are the company’s own reported computations under its own stated standard, not recomputed by Velarion. Where a company does not state a standard, none is assumed.

CEO pay ratio

Ratio (CEO : median employee)74 : 1
CEO total compensation$4,085,499
Median employee compensation$55,266
Insider trades since the proxy

Every insider equity transaction reported on Form 4 after the 2025 proxy statement — acquisitions, dispositions, exercises, and withholdings — and therefore not reflected in any table in that document.

InsiderRoleTransaction dateCodeSharesPriceValueSecuritySource
Maha Al-EmamDirector2026-06-02A16,046$0$0CommonForm 4 ↗
Amy ReinhardDirector2026-06-02A16,04600CommonForm 4 ↗
Kevin M. SheehanDirector2026-06-02A16,04600CommonForm 4 ↗
John Jeffry Louis IIIDirector2026-06-02A16,04600CommonForm 4 ↗
Barbara W. WallDirector2026-06-02A16,04600CommonForm 4 ↗
Debra A. SandlerDirector2026-06-02A16,04600CommonForm 4 ↗
Theodore P. JanulisDirector2026-06-02A16,04600CommonForm 4 ↗
John Jeffry Louis IIIDirector2026-06-30A3,50800CommonForm 4 ↗
Michael ReedDirector2026-08-05D61,2119530,087CommonForm 4 ↗
Michael ReedDirector2026-08-05A119,904——CommonForm 4 ↗
Trisha GosserCFO2026-08-05D9,465981,967CommonForm 4 ↗
Trisha GosserCFO2026-08-05D29,57600Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
Cindy GallagherCAO2026-08-05D9,59200Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
Cindy GallagherCAO2026-08-05D2,888925,010CommonForm 4 ↗
Cindy GallagherCAO2026-08-05A9,592——CommonForm 4 ↗
Trisha GosserCFO2026-08-05A29,576——CommonForm 4 ↗
Michael ReedDirector2026-08-05D119,90400Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
Trisha GosserCFO2026-08-06A10,393——CommonForm 4 ↗
Trisha GosserCFO2026-08-06D10,39300Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
Trisha GosserCFO2026-08-06D3,326826,608CommonForm 4 ↗
Michael ReedDirector2026-08-06D113,37900Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
Michael ReedDirector2026-08-06D57,8808463,040CommonForm 4 ↗
Michael ReedDirector2026-08-06A113,379——CommonForm 4 ↗
Cindy GallagherCAO2026-08-06D9,07000Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
Cindy GallagherCAO2026-08-06D2,731821,848CommonForm 4 ↗
Cindy GallagherCAO2026-08-06A9,070——CommonForm 4 ↗
Michael ReedDirector2026-08-11A383,77100Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
Cindy GallagherCAO2026-08-11A51,16900Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
Trisha GosserCFO2026-08-11A87,71900Derivative, Class A CommonForm 4 ↗
John Jeffry Louis IIIDirector2026-09-30A4,76900CommonForm 4 ↗

Transaction codes per Form 4: A acquisition · S open-market sale · F tax withholding · M option exercise · G gift. Value = shares × price as reported. Dividend-equivalent and fractional-share accrual rows (derivative Class A, under $10,000 and under 2,000 shares) are aggregated per date; every row appears in full below.

Sources (52 citations)

Each figure is listed with the filing it comes from, where it appears in that filing, and the value as printed. Any figure can be independently confirmed against the source.

  • Section 01, Michael Reed. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Compensation Tables” · page 35. As printed: 4,085,499. View filing ↗
  • Section 01, Douglas Horne. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Compensation Tables” · page 35. As printed: 2,020,583. View filing ↗
  • Section 01, Trisha Gosser. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Compensation Tables” · page 35. As printed: 1,382,091. View filing ↗
  • Section 03, Michael Reed RSU. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Executive Compensation” · grants of plan-based awards table. View filing ↗
  • Section 03, Trisha Gosser RSU. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Executive Compensation” · grants of plan-based awards table. View filing ↗
  • Section 07, pay ratio. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “CEO Pay Ratio”. As printed: 74 : 1. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, Kevin M. Sheehan. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 284,998. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, Debra A. Sandler. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 245,948. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, Amy Reinhard. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 241,048. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, Barbara W. Wall. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 241,048. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, John Jeffry Louis III. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 241,048. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, Theodore P. Janulis. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 228,948. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, Laurence Tarica. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 228,948. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, Maha Al-Emam. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 224,998. View filing ↗
  • Section 08, Michael E. Reed. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. Section “Director Compensation”. As printed: 0. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Maha Al-Emam 2026-06-02. Form 4, filed 2026-06-03. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Amy Reinhard 2026-06-02. Form 4, filed 2026-06-03. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Kevin M. Sheehan 2026-06-02. Form 4, filed 2026-06-03. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, John Jeffry Louis III 2026-06-02. Form 4, filed 2026-06-03. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Barbara W. Wall 2026-06-02. Form 4, filed 2026-06-03. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Debra A. Sandler 2026-06-02. Form 4, filed 2026-06-03. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Theodore P. Janulis 2026-06-02. Form 4, filed 2026-06-03. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, John Jeffry Louis III 2026-06-30. Form 4, filed 2026-07-01. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Michael Reed 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Michael Reed 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Trisha Gosser 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Trisha Gosser 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Cindy Gallagher 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Cindy Gallagher 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Cindy Gallagher 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Trisha Gosser 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Michael Reed 2026-08-05. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Trisha Gosser 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Trisha Gosser 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Trisha Gosser 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Michael Reed 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Michael Reed 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Michael Reed 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Cindy Gallagher 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Cindy Gallagher 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Cindy Gallagher 2026-08-06. Form 4, filed 2026-08-07. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Michael Reed 2026-08-11. Form 4, filed 2026-08-12. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Cindy Gallagher 2026-08-11. Form 4, filed 2026-08-12. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, Trisha Gosser 2026-08-11. Form 4, filed 2026-08-12. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 02, John Jeffry Louis III 2026-09-30. Form 4, filed 2026-10-01. Insider equity transaction reported since the proxy statement. View filing ↗
  • Section 06, 2026 vote. Form 8-K, filed 2026-06-01. Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 98.32% (votes for as printed: 105,249,093). View filing ↗
  • Section 06, 2025 vote. Form 8-K, filed 2025-06-02. Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 94.9% (votes for as printed: 93,927,203). View filing ↗
  • Section 06, 2024 vote. Form 8-K, filed 2024-06-04. Item 5.07 · say-on-pay result. As reported: 97.59% (votes for as printed: 100,188,916). View filing ↗
  • Section 01 trend, Δ column (computed). Computed. Δ = current-FY total − prior-FY total per named officer.
  • Section 03b vehicle mix (computed). Computed. RSU / PSU / Options grant-date fair values summed per officer from the grants table; % performance-vested = PSU ÷ (RSU+PSU+Options).
  • Section 09b board cost (computed). Computed. Cash 920,000 + equity 999,984 + all other 17,000 = 1,936,984, summed across the director compensation table rows.
  • USA Today Co. (subject), Section 10b CEO total. DEF 14A, filed 2026-04-17. CEO total compensation as printed in USA Today Co.'s own proxy. As printed: 4,085,499. View filing ↗
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