Bottomline CEO compensation: $1.8m

Portsmouth, N.H.-based Bottomline Technologies paid Robert A. Eberle $1.8 million for serving as chief executive in the last fiscal year, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

That’s $100,000 less than the amount the financial software company paid its chief operating officer for quitting.

The bulk of Eberle’s package of $1,774,515 – about $150,000 less than he was paid in last fiscal year – included over $1 million in stock awards and $320,000 in salary.

Peter Fortune, the chief operating officer, received a $1.9 million severance package in a compromise agreement reached three weeks before his May 15 departure. Some $1.4 million came from accelerated options, and he received $56,000 in consideration for signing the termination agreement. The severance package was paid in addition to his fiscal year compensation, bringing the total payout to slightly more than $3 million.

Chief financial officer Kevin Donavon was paid $487,000, some $30,000 more than the previous year.

Bottomline posted a net fiscal year loss of $12.3 million, or 51 cents a share. Some $9.5 million of that loss was due to equity compensation, but the company’s stock has been performing well ever since it announced a deal with Bank of America.

At market’s close, Bottomline stock was trading for $12.82 a share, 17 cents down from Friday, but 50 cents lower than the 52-week high. – BOB SANDERS/NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW