To answer your edit, yes, it’s still considered losing money when it’s due to compensation. Stock is an asset of the company so it’s not free to give away, even

To answer your edit, yes, it’s still considered losing money when it’s due to compensation. Stock is an asset of the company so it’s not free to give away, even though it’s not cash. Second, they still lost money when excluding that compensation. It’s so far from your original idea that they were fined for less than 10% of annual profits. I understand your dismay but starting with good numbers is an important part of financial and trade regulation.