Optimal Quarter for Promo L4-> L5

I wanted to aim for Promo Q4 this year but my manager outright said no. He said 1.5 YOE is not enough for Promo. He said perhaps Q1 2023 but it would be better to wait for Q2 2023 Promo because compensation is better. He said if I get promoted at Q1, then forte is evaluated at L5 level and there's not enough data points. but if i do Q2, then I can get exceeds high bar at L4 level, get more stock and base. Then also evaluated at a slightly higher pay range for L5 since I would have exceeds high bar as an L4. My questions: 1. I thought Promo was based on merit and not YOE? Is his reasoning for denying me Q4 Promo valid? (Assuming my work is L5 lvl ofc) 2. Does Forte affect PCS? I thought PCS was determined before Forte ratings are finalized? Would an exceeds high bar result in more base pay and additional stock in my PCS for 2023 at L4 level? 3. I thought all promos were automatically at the bottom of the pay band of the new level. Would being a high exceeds L4 before Promo somehow mean I won't be bottom of L5 payband? Or would having a higher Tc at L4 change how much by new L5 TC is after Promo? 4. Is there an optimal Quarter for Promo? Would you wait for Q2 for promo if you could have been promoted q1? Same question for being promoted q4 or q3. Would you be worried about not having enough data points at new level to get exceeds high bar? #amazon