As companies revamp annual meeting formats in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, investors and governance experts are warning boards that if investors perceive that the shift to virtual meetings is limiting shareholder rights, they will retaliate next year. According to a review of SEC filings by S&P 500 companies by public company intelligence provider MyLogIQ, as of April…
The biggest companies in the United States are about to report an overall negative earnings quarter for the first time since the Great Recession of 2009. In the wrenching wake of the pandemic, boards had better conserve cash against a sharp recession and corporate losses, financial experts say. That puts dividends in the cross hairs….
With the first quarter in the books, big companies are preparing to disclose to investors early indications of the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic. The respiratory illness has shut down many parts of the U.S. economy, spurring a wave of layoffs and furloughs that resulted in a record 17 million unemployment claims in a…
Directors are making plans to hold their next board meeting remotely to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus amid the ongoing pandemic. However, sources recommend that directors brush up on virtual meeting etiquette and ask corporate secretaries to ensure they are following applicable state laws on meetings even if they are meeting remotely. “A…
Boards are continuing to adopt limits on the amount of compensation directors can earn in a year to protect against pay lawsuits alleging breach of fiduciary duty. However, as more suits have progressed, some boards are implementing new limits that appear to be trending lower than those adopted previously, and a few boards have even…
Say-on-pay votes remain a critical way for shareholders to express discontent with executive compensation packages. But they also act as a barometer for shareholder dissatisfaction with the board. Gauging how investors might vote on say on pay ahead of the company’s annual meeting can help avoid an embarrassing or contentious director reelection vote or other…