With Apple Inc.’s stock soaring, Tim Cook is cruising toward another big payout.

Barring a precipitous drop in Apple’s stock, Cook will receive 560,000 shares on Monday, worth a combined US$278.6 million as of Friday’s close -- his annual haul from an award he got nine years ago after succeeding Steve Jobs.

It’s the latest in a string of victories for Cook, who was named chief executive officer of the iPhone-maker nine years ago. In late July, the company reported a record third quarter. The firm’s stock soared, pushing his net worth above US$1 billion less than two weeks later. And, last week, Apple’s market value eclipsed US$2 trillion.

Cook, 59, said in 2015 that he plans to give most of his fortune away and has already donated millions of dollars worth of Apple shares.

His annual payouts are partly tied to continued service, while the remainder pays out in relation to how well Apple’s stock does relative to other companies in the S&P 500 index over three years.

As of Friday, the company’s return over that period, including reinvested dividends, was roughly 225 per cent, better than the vast majority of firms in the index, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That puts him well above the threshold for the payout.

Josh Rosenstock, an Apple spokesman, declined to comment.