Rivian CEO Got $400M While EV Maker Lost $3.6B Last Year — Retail Is Bullish Anyway As Q1 Earnings Near

• CEO RJ Scaringe received one of the largest single-year executive compensation packages in the U.S. auto sector at $402.6 million.
• The incentive structure mirrors Tesla's long-term performance-based compensation model for its CEO, Elon Musk.
• Investor focus remains on Rivian’s R2 midsize SUV, expected to account for the majority of vehicle volume by 2027.

Shares of Rivian Automotive (RIVN) are in focus on Tuesday ahead of earnings due later this week, following the EV maker's disclosure of a massive $402 million CEO compensation package.

RIVN stock jumped over 1% on Monday to end at $16.72. Shares rose another 0.4% in extended trading. 

Rivian CEO Pay Package Tops $400M

According to a recent proxy filing from Monday, CEO R.J. Scaringe received $402.6 million in total compensation for 2025, making it one of the largest single-year CEO pay packages in the U.S. auto sector.

The package includes $373.5 million in option awards, $26.6 million in stock awards, and $1.12 million in salary, along with additional incentive compensation tied to performance goals. The award replaced Rivian’s earlier 2021 performance plan after the board concluded that its targets were unlikely to be achieved.

The broader compensation approved in November 2025 could be worth up to $4.6 billion, depending on milestones tied to stock price performance, adjusted operating income, and operating cash flow. However, Rivian’s board called the package “entirely at-risk.” 

The structure mirrors Tesla's performance-based executive compensation, where shareholders approved a long-term incentive package for CEO Elon Musk tied to stock price and operational milestones.

RIVN Q1 Preview

The company is scheduled to report first-quarter 2026 results after the market closes on Thursday. Fiscal AI expects Rivian to report a revenue of $1.37 billion in the first quarter, up from about $1 billion a year earlier. Meanwhile, the company is expected to post a loss per share of $0.59, improving from a $0.72 loss a year ago, while losses before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) are projected at $514.4 million, slightly wider than last year’s level.

Rivian reported a $3.6 billion net loss for 2025, an improvement from a $4.75 billion loss the previous year, even as the EV maker hit its first annual gross profit of $144 million during the year.

The results came after cost-reduction efforts and support from Rivian’s software and electrical-architecture joint venture with Volkswagen Group, which helped offset continued losses in its automotive unit. The company delivered 42,247 vehicles in 2025, below its internal target of 46,000 units. 

R2 Platform: Rivian’s Growth Engine

Investor attention is focused on Rivian’s upcoming R2 midsize electric SUV, which is expected to expand the company’s addressable market beyond premium vehicles such as the R1T pickup and R1S SUV.

Rivian has previously called 2025 as a “foundational year,” with the R2 expected to become the majority of Rivian’s vehicle volume by 2027 as production ramps at its Illinois facility. The lower-priced platform cuts build material costs by half, reduces manufacturing complexity and pushes for higher delivery growth.

How Do Retail Traders Feel About RIVN?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for RIVN was ‘bullish’ amid ‘high’ message volume.

One user said, “Any pullback going into earnings should be bought aggressively.”

Another user hyped up the R2 and said, “I can’t drive 10 minutes without seeing 3 or 4 of these cars. Admittedly in heavy EV market. But between me drooling over them and the wait times to just sit and check out the R2, I’m in. 2028 LEAPs purchased and will be grabbing more.”

RIVN stock has jumped 32% over the past year. 

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