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James A. Donahue, who was born on September 1, 1954, is the long-serving CEO of Cohu Inc., a company he has been with for over 31 years. He took the helm as CEO in June 2000 and also was appointed...

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James A. Donahue

CEO of Cohu

Field of Expertise

Technology & Engineering - Engineering

Sector of Economy

Technology

CEO of Cohu for

24 years 10 months (Jun 2000 - Present)

Previous Experience

Worked in the Company’s semiconductor equipment operations for more than 31 years.

Holdings

See how much did James A. Donahue make over time.

As of the end of 2014, James A. Donahue held a significant amount of Cohu stock, with his holdings reflecting a commitment to the company's performance. At one point, he had over $1.8 million in unvested stock options and common...

Mar 18, 2025

Total Stock Sold

$15.33M

COHU

$15.33M

526,475 COHU shares

What if they kept their stock?

If James A. Donahue didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra COHU526,475 shares worth $7.57M.
This is -50.62% and $7.76M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of James A. Donahue.

COHU

4,918 shares

COHU

Jun 5, 2024

Received

COHU

4,347 shares

COHU

May 10, 2023

Received

COHU

5,091 shares

COHU

May 4, 2022

Received

COHU

4,001 shares

COHU

May 5, 2021

Received

COHU

$1.19M

COHU at $44.69/share

Mar 1, 2021

Sale

COHU

$1.71M

COHU at $42.83/share

Feb 25, 2021

Sale

COHU

$1.75M

COHU at $43.86/share

Feb 23, 2021

Sale

COHU

$1.87M

COHU at $46.77/share

Feb 19, 2021

Sale

COHU

$1.89M

COHU at $47.28/share

Feb 17, 2021

Sale

COHU

8,532 shares

COHU

May 6, 2020

Received

Compensation History

See how much did James A. Donahue make over time.

Throughout his time at Cohu, James A. Donahue's compensation has been a mix of salary, bonuses, and stock awards. In 2014, his total compensation was approximately $2.4 million, which included a base salary of $525,000, a performance bonus of nearly $628,000, and about $1.2 million in vested stock. This structure underscores his reliance on performance-based pay, where bonuses are tied to company metrics like sales and operational income. His compensation philosophy promotes a highly competitive environment, aiming at retaining talent while motivating executives to enhance shareholder value. Back in 2009, Donahue’s salary was reduced by 20% due to economic conditions, but it was restored a year later, illustrating the company's resilience and adjustment strategies to market challenges. This combination of factors ensures that his financial success is closely linked to the growth and profitability of Cohu.

Year

2014

Total Compensation

$2.37M

Salary

$525.00K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy aims to attract, reward, and retain executive officers while motivating them to achieve corporate goals that enhance stockholder value.

Bonus

$627.75K

Board Justification

Annual cash incentive bonus of 120% of target based on performance measures including sales, non-GAAP contribution margin, and non-GAAP operating income.

Other

$37.68K

Board Justification

Includes automobile expense allowance and medical insurance premiums paid by Cohu.

Restricted Stock

$1.18M(109.09K RSU)

Board Justification

RSUs granted in 2014 vest at a rate of 25% per year, with the total value based on the grant date fair value.

Performance Metrics

Sales, non-GAAP contribution margin, and non-GAAP operating income.