So what was your Christmas bonus?

[Piggybank Cop]

Goldman CEO's $53.4M Bonus Breaks
All Associated Press NewsNEW YORK (AP) - John Mack's record for the biggest bonus ever paid to a Wall Street chief executive didn't last even a week. It was smashed by the $53.4 million that Goldman Sachs gave its chief executive, Lloyd Blankfein.

The bonanza for Blankfein included a cash bonus of $27.3 million, with the rest paid in stock and options. He took the helm of the investment bank in June after President Bush nominated Henry Paulson to be Treasury secretary.

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The record payday, disclosed by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday, breaks the one set just last Thursday when Morgan Stanley disclosed that it paid CEO Mack $40 million in stock and options. Mack, who is 62, rejoined Morgan Stanley 18 months ago to turn around the company after the ouster of Philip Purcell. Mack's short-lived record bested one set in 2005 by Goldman's Paulson, who was given $38.3 million.

Blankfein's bonus reflects the street's -- and Goldman's -- very profitable results this year, Worth magazine Editor in Chief Dwight Cass said.

"Blankfein's traders -- his background is trading, not investment banking -- were the main drivers behind Goldman's increase," Cass said. "But this was an easy year to make money. Markets rallied, volatility was low, LBO (leveraged buyouts) deals kept the debt markets roiling, hedge funds continued to make prime brokerage a big winner."

Other than Blankfein, 11 other senior Goldman executives as a group were granted slightly more than $150 million in shares and stock options, according to filings submitted by the companies to the Securites and Exchange Commission on Tuesday. The highest paid among those were Gary Cohn and Jon Winkelried, who both hold the titles of president and chief operating officer. They each received $25.6 million in shares and options in 2006.

Any cash bonuses for the other executives were not mentioned in the filings.

The bonuses come after Goldman reported last week that it had earned the highest yearly profit in the history of Wall Street. Net profit rose 70 percent to $9.4 billion on revenue of $37.67 billion. Goldman and other firms have benefitted from a surging market for takeovers and a strong stock market.

Goldman said last week it had set aside a total of $16.5 billion this year for salaries, bonuses and benefits. On average, this would translate to $622,000 per employee.

The bonuses come in a year in which Goldman shareholders have benefitted from a rise of about 58 percent in the company's share price, the strongest returns of any Wall Street investment house.

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. and Bear Stearns Cos. have said they would pay about $12 billion in compensation each. Lehman said last week it paid its chief executive, Richard Fuld, $10.9 million in stock this year.

The trend in compensating executives has been to keep salaries level while increasing bonuses. The highest-paid executives in the country earned 48.2 percent more in bonuses and 31.2 percent more in cash, according to the Executive Compensation Index done by ERI Economic Research Institute and CareerJournal.com as of last month. It compared year-over-year numbers, and in the same period, salaries fell by 0.31 percent.

Shares of Goldman rose 13 cents, or 0.06 percent, to close at 201.37 on the New York Stock Exchange.

[TXCharlie]

In our little start-up company, we're lucky if our checks don't bounce... In fact a couple of payroll checks did bounce last week. They covered them, but not a good sign.

[Crimebytes2]

My bonus? No pink slip!

[Retmilleo909]

Bonus!!!...What's a bonus ??

[Jackalope]

I'm supposedly supposed to get a bonus, but the boss hasn't finished cooking the books yet. I'll probably get it after Christmas.

[Willowdared]

A pocket planner/calendar

[Welpe]

Passing grades.

[mavriktu]

A buck two ninety five pocket knife

[ida40dj]

a 10.00 gift certificate at a local grocery store for a turkey.

[CountyFourteen]

yea we got a calendar too, and a $50 gift card to Bilo's (food store)

[TacticalII]

We get a $30 gift card to a local grocery store (which they add to our check and tax). All other city employees get a $500 check.....

[Virginian]

I got a $30 steak and a "Good to see you Matt."

My name is Dave. Time for a new job.

[carolina]

yea we got a calendar too, and a $50 gift card to Bilo's (food store)

That's what we got, wondering if we work at the same place and they did have lunch catered in for us one day.

Our calendar has the days were are scheduled to work highlighted next year. Funny thing is working the 12hr rotation schedule it's the only way I know when I'm supposed to work anymore

[Jenna]

I got a $30 steak and a "Good to see you Matt."

My name is Dave. Time for a new job.

You need to send them the "These are the Daves I know" video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4kN1Zb35zE

[zap]

I get to work 6-10p rather than 8-6........

[Dudleydoright]

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Christmas Bonus

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

[Ducky]

MrDucky - $15 gift card to Target.
The CEO of the company MrDucky works for has a $3 MILLION GUARANTEED bonus every year for five years.

[TXCharlie]

MrDucky - $15 gift card to Target.
The CEO of the company MrDucky works for has a $3 MILLION GUARANTEED bonus every year for five years.

Mr. Ducky is so lucky to be working for such a generous boss

He should send him a $5 Thank-You card, and put this at the bottom:

"PS - This card is one-third of our Christmas Bonus, but I could not contain my deep appreciation for your generosity. I think I'll use it to take the family out to Target's deli and buy them all a hot dog with no drink for Christmas dinner. Yippee."

PS - I would send it anonymously if I were you.

[mtncat]

Have not seen one this year yet but last year got a really nice, big, spiral cut ham, the daughter and I both got little digital picture frames that hold about 10 pictures and then the boss gave me his private land elk permit

[armygrnt502]

Bonus...are we supposed to get one of those?

"Bonus..we dont need no stinkin bonus!!"