BANKING AND CREDIT NEWS-November 20, 2017-Donnelley Financial Solutions guide helps transform
proxy statementsM2 EQUITYBITES-November 20, 2017-Donnelley Financial Solutions guide helps transform
proxy statementsOf the 27 named executives at the seven publicly traded newspaper businesses that reported executive compensation for 2012, 2013 and 2014 via their 2015 annual meeting
proxy statements, the average salary and benefits increase from 2013 to 2014 was 43 percent.
The start of the year typically means a glut of
proxy statements for investors, but the recipients of those statements may not be reading as much of the document as companies would like.
The 2015 proxy environment has taken a distinctive shape, molded by recent developments as shareholders continue to push for a voice in
proxy statements. These developments are set against the backdrop of the practice of companies seeking no-action relief from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) when the company intends to exclude a shareholder's proposal in its
proxy statement.
Reviewing annual reports,
proxy statements and other literature will help keep you better informed about your company and its prospects, as well as warn you of any possible disagreements among company management and large shareholders.
Proxy statements describing the proposals on the agenda andproxy cards for use by shareholders that cannot attend the meeting in personwill be sent by mail, on or about November 9, 2009, to the Company'sshareholders of record and to shareholders that hold shares registered withthe American Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
"
Proxy statements, by nature, are lengthy and graphically unappealing, with big blocks of text and few pictures," says Barbara Whelahan, a columnist for the financial website bankrate.com.
Randy Jayne, managing partner with executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles, interpreted the results of a survey of the
proxy statements of some 75 Fortune 500 companies, reviewing their executive compensation practices.
The SEC's requirements pertaining to "Audit Committee Disclosure" specifically address the audit committee's responsibility in terms of the ISB Standard and require the audit committee to state (within its
proxy statements) whether it has received from the auditors the independence disclosures required by ISB Standard No.
21, 2000, and began requiring companies to disclose in annual
proxy statements fees paid for audit and nonaudit services.
Once a year, companies send shareholders
proxy statements and a ballot along with their annual reports, in effect allowing investors to vote on how the company should be run (through the board of directors who represent them) without investors having to attend shareholder meetings.