The “Proxy Access Battlefront” has shifted once again, as reported by Ning Chiu of Davis Polk (The Proxy Access Battlefront for Next Season? SEC Staff Rejects Attempt to Exclude Proxy Access Shareholder Proposal). Chiu’s post captures the trajectory of proxy access amendment efforts. (more…)
There will be no rush to binding proxy access proposals, thanks to a July 21 denial of a no-action request filed by H&R Block. Corporations (HRB) continue with Wile E. Coyote type plots to derail genuine proxy access. See this incoming no-action request from Microsoft (MFST). However, in the case of H&R Block we foiled the […]
Substantial implementation, that’s the deception companies have been arguing in order to obtain ‘no-action’ relief under SEC Rule 14a-8(i)(10) after implementing proxy access ‘lite.’ Law firms have been touting recent no-action letters released on February 12, with more in March 2016. It looks like a clear win for entrenched managers and directors for implementing only proxy […]
iRobot adopts proxy access bylaws filed with SEC Form 8-K on March 9, 2016 (See Section 11). James McRitchie, publisher of Corporate Governance (CorpGov.net) conditioned withdrawal of his proposal for proxy access at iRobot (IRBT) on the amended bylaws, including several key elements meeting best practices as outlined by the Council of Institutional Investors. (more…)
Proxy Access at Apple (AAPL) will be one of the most important votes of the proxy season. Will shareholders settle for the board’s recently adopted “lite” version, akin to greenwashing, or will shareholders vote in favor of real proxy access? Boards, investors, and the corporate governance industrial complex are watching in anticipation. Your opportunity to vote […]
Last week I uploaded a revised template for proxy access proposals (see Avoiding Proxy Access Lite: QUALCOMM Proposal) to address some of the problems identified by the Council of Institutional Investors in their August 5th report, Proxy Access: Best Practices. Thanks to the quick response from several readers, I have already made a few improvments. Please use […]
In response to a proxy access proposal I filed earlier this year, Clorox Co (NYSE:CLX), manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products, adopted proxy access (press release, amended bylaws). I am declaring another victory and withdrawing my proposal. While I filed a standard proxy access proposal seeking the ability of shareholders with 3% of shares held for […]
As you may have read by now Microsoft Makes It Easier for Shareholders to Nominate Candidates to Board, another company where we filed for proxy access has adopted proxy access lite. We were glad to play a role in negotiating the change on behalf of shareholders and withdrew our proxy access proposal contingent on the Board’s […]
If you thought 2015 was the year of proxy access, wait until you see next proxy season. These news stories on proxy proxy access are worthy of note but are in no way a comprehensive list of such posts. Proxy Access: New SEC Staff Paper 8/4/2014 Broc Romanek reports on a blog by Cooley’s Cydney Posner: (more…)
In response to proxy access proposals filed this year, both Whole Foods Market (WFM) and H&R Block (HRB) have adopted proxy access. While I had filed standard proposals seeking the ability of shareholders with 3% of shares held for 3 years to be able to nominate up to 25% of the board, both companies adopted […]