IREN Ltd. (NASDAQ:IREN) is rapidly expanding as a dominant ‘AI Cloud’ powerhouse, but a controversial new executive ‘stock grant’ has renowned short-seller Jim Chanos questioning if the firm is becoming a corporate payout machine.
The $800M RSU Controversy
Just days after securing major operational milestones, IREN’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a staggering grant of over 18 million restricted stock units (RSUs) to its Co-CEOs, William Roberts and Daniel Roberts. The massive July 1, 2026, award immediately drew the ire of Wall Street veteran Chanos.
Taking to X, Chanos sounded the alarm on the sheer scale of the compensation. “So $IREN just announced an $800M stock grant (not options) to its two co-CEO’s,” Chanos posted.
He urged investors to seek perspective, noting the payout represents “17% of the estimated cumulative Adjusted Net Income of $4.7B over the term of the grant, FY 2027 to FY 2030!”
