Broad-Based Stock Plans Remain Prevalent in Fortune Best 100 Companies to Work For

Forty of the 78 employers among the 2020 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For that can offer stock plans have some kind of broad-based plan. Twenty-two of the organizations cannot have stock plans because they are nonprofits (mostly in health care), law or accounting firms, or a consumer cooperative (REI). The percentage of eligible companies offering these plans on the list has been around 50% since its inception.

The list is not representative of U.S. employers in many ways. Employers have to apply for the award, and applicants have been heavily weighted toward health care providers, law and accounting firms, and technology companies.  Technology companies are also disproportionately likely to offer broad-based equity grant plans and or employee stock purchase plans (ESPPs).

Of the 78 companies, five have ESOPs (David Weekly Homes, #23, Publix, #39; West Monroe Partners, #46, Burns & McDonnell, #65; and Sheetz, #80). Publix, Burns & McDonnell, and West Monroe Partners are majority employee-owned. The brokerage firm Baird (#13) is majority employee-owned through a direct stock purchase plan.  Eighteen of the companies offer only an employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), two have non-ESPP stock purchase plans (other than Baird), and 14 provide broad-based equity plans and a stock purchase plan.

Fortune Best 100 Companies to Work For with Broad-Based Equity Plans