Meta's 'Rapture' could send wealthy employees into early retirement
A lucrative batch of Meta stock awards ends in February 2027. Some employees may have made enough from the rally to retire early.
Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, are the stage for an event known as "The Rapture." This impending date, February 15, 2027, may result in a significant migration of wealthy tech workers. The Rapture refers to the final payout from a substantial batch of company shares awarded to employees in 2023, when Meta's stock price was comparatively low.
However, since then, Meta's stock has skyrocketed by more than 400%. This surge in stock value has transformed those share awards into a lucrative windfall for senior engineers. According to Andre Nader, a former Meta employee who reports for the FAANG FIRE newsletter, these stock awards could lead to a pay cut of over 40% after these payouts conclude.
This presents a significant financial blow. Yet, there is a twist. Some Meta employees have amassed such wealth from this extraordinary stock rally that they may no longer require employment. Over the past four years, these employees have seen the value of several equity grants soar as Meta's stock rebounded. Some have accumulated gains of $2 million or more.
Once one has experienced such substantial earnings, "golden handcuffs" can lose their grip. For fortunate Meta veterans, The Rapture could potentially signify early retirement instead of seeking another job.
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