compensation: pay, salary stock: the securities companies issue for a share (of ownership) in the company. options: "stock options", a way of giving company stock to employs over a period to come. performance: work results (like selling products, producing a design, accounting,...) Another way to say the same thing might be: There is an increasing tendency among companies to pay higher those individuals or groups that produce good results than the others by giving them more stock grants and options as well as bonuses.