Performance shares vs RSUs
Performance share units add a goal-based condition on top of time vesting, which changes both payout and timing.
How PSUs work
Payout depends on metrics such as revenue, total shareholder return or relative index performance, usually over a three-year cycle, with payout multipliers from zero to 200%.
Tax treatment
Like RSUs, PSUs are ordinary income when the shares are delivered, valued at that date. The uncertainty is in how many shares arrive, not how they are taxed.
Planning implication
Because the share count is unknown until settlement, withholding gaps are harder to predict. Model a high-payout scenario so a strong year does not become a tax surprise.
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