They can say that at any time. Executives and the board negotiate stretch goals of stock based compensation for themselves based on marketcap or revenue target

They can say that at any time. Executives and the board negotiate stretch goals of stock based compensation for themselves based on marketcap or revenue targets. It is inconsequential for them to create and sell these shares as the market keeps absorbing it at any marketcap. The rest of the shareholders like the idea of capital returned back to them no matter what price they bought in at. And finally the legal system will support private litigation regarding the CEO being expected to do things that make the most returns for shareholders. So if you have a whole marketplace of people trying to navigate this incentive structure, there is a selective evolution towards a few that create this growth machine successfully. And when they dont share prices will fall thats it.