Discontinued — last reported Q2 '23

Equity

Unearned Stock-Based Compensation

Goldman Sachs Group Unearned Stock-Based Compensation increased by 4.3% to $5.80B in Q4 2025 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric grew by 12.6%, from $5.15B to $5.80B. Over 5 years (FY 2020 to FY 2025), Unearned Stock-Based Compensation shows an upward trend with a 10.8% CAGR. This increase may warrant attention — for this metric, lower values are generally preferred.

Analysis

StatementBalance Sheet Statement
SectionEquity
CategoryProfitability
SignalLower is better
VolatilityModerate
First reportedQ2 2016
Last reportedQ2 2023

How to read this metric

An increase indicates higher future compensation expenses, which may impact future profitability.

Detailed definition

The portion of equity-based awards granted to employees that has not yet been recognized as an expense on the income sta...

Peer comparison

Common in human-capital-intensive industries like investment banking where stock-based pay is a significant retention tool.

Metric ID: unearned_stock_based_compensation

Historical Data

19 periods
 Q2 '21Q3 '21Q4 '21Q1 '22Q2 '22Q3 '22Q4 '22Q1 '23Q2 '23Q3 '23Q4 '23Q1 '24Q2 '24Q3 '24Q4 '24Q1 '25Q2 '25Q3 '25Q4 '25
Value$3.76B$3.90B$4.21B$4.97B$5.25B$5.48B$5.70B$4.82B$4.93B$5.12B$5.12B$4.56B$5.06B$5.09B$5.15B$5.20B$5.37B$5.56B$5.80B
QoQ Change+3.6%+8.1%+17.9%+5.6%+4.5%+4.0%-15.3%+2.2%+3.8%+0.1%-10.9%+10.8%+0.6%+1.1%+1.0%+3.2%+3.5%+4.3%
YoY Change+39.5%+40.6%+35.3%-2.9%-6.0%-6.6%-10.1%-5.4%+2.6%-0.5%+0.5%+13.9%+6.1%+9.1%+12.6%
Range$3.76B$5.80B
CAGR+10.1%
Avg YoY Growth+8.6%
Median YoY Growth+2.6%
Current Streak7 quarters growth

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Goldman Sachs Group's unearned stock-based compensation?
Goldman Sachs Group (GS) reported unearned stock-based compensation of $5.80B in Q4 2025.
How has Goldman Sachs Group's unearned stock-based compensation changed year-over-year?
Goldman Sachs Group's unearned stock-based compensation increased by 12.6% year-over-year, from $5.15B to $5.80B.
What is the long-term trend for Goldman Sachs Group's unearned stock-based compensation?
Over 5 years (2020 to 2025), Goldman Sachs Group's unearned stock-based compensation has grown at a 10.8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $3.47B to $5.80B.
What does unearned stock-based compensation mean?
The value of stock awards granted to employees that have not yet been earned through service.

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