Latest news with #corporateGovernance
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Singapore proposes to strip money launderers of directorships
By Weilun Soon (Bloomberg) — Singapore is considering stripping directorships from persons who have been convicted of money-laundering offences in the city state after a S$3-billion (US$2.34 billion) scandal that dented the Southeast Asian country's reputation as a global financial centre. The government is seeking feedback on such a proposal from the public as it contemplates changes to several legislations, including the Companies Act 1967, the Ministry of Finance and the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority said in a request for public comments on Monday. Among the proposed changes is a suggestion to allow ACRA to share audit information with overseas audit regulators. The amendments aim to prevent misuses of companies for unlawful purposes as well as to safeguard shareholders' interests, the agencies said. The public can submit their comments until 31 July. The move is expected to strengthen Singapore's anti-money laundering regime after the the scandal that unfolded in 2023. The Monetary Authority of Singapore imposed composition penalties of S$27.5 million on nine financial firms, including Credit Suisse's Singapore branch and Citibank Singapore, for anti-money-laundering breaches. One of the suspects named in the case, Wang Junjie, was a director at several companies related to some of those arrested. Wang was charged in January with offences related to falsifying accounts and representations. More stories like this are available on ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
HCA Healthcare (NYSE:HCA) Appoints Former Subway CEO John Chidsey To Board
HCA Healthcare has appointed John W. Chidsey, III as an independent director, enhancing its board's expertise and corporate governance. Meanwhile, the company's inclusion in multiple Russell 1000 indexes underscores its stability and appeal to defensive investors. During the quarter, HCA also emphasized shareholder value through its share repurchase activities. Overall, the company's share price rose 13% in line with broader market gains over the past year. These strategic moves, coupled with solid financial performance in Q1, including increased sales and net income, have reinforced investor confidence, contributing to a 13% quarterly price move. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for HCA Healthcare (of which 1 can't be ignored!) you should know about. We've found 17 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free. The recent appointment of John W. Chidsey, III to HCA Healthcare's board is expected to enhance governance and expertise, potentially leading to more informed decisions that support the company's strategic goals. This move complements HCA's focus on shareholder value through repurchase activities and could bolster investor confidence further. Over a longer-term horizon of five years, HCA's total shareholder return, including dividends, reached an impressive 269.05%. This performance highlights the company's ability to deliver significant value to its investors over an extended period. For context, the company outperformed the broader healthcare industry, which experienced a decline of 22.1% over the last year, whereas HCA's share price increased 13%, aligning with the broader market gains. Looking forward, the new board leadership may influence revenue and earnings forecasts as HCA continues its expansion of healthcare services. Analysts forecast a 5.5% annual revenue growth over the next three years, with earnings expected to rise to US$7.1 billion by 2028. The current share price of US$356.7 remains close to the consensus analyst price target of US$371.84, indicating a modest 4.1% increase anticipated. These forecasts suggest that while HCA is projected to grow steadily, the market already factors in much of this potential. Therefore, the additions to the board and continued strategic capital allocations will be crucial in aligning future performance with investor expectations. The analysis detailed in our HCA Healthcare valuation report hints at an deflated share price compared to its estimated value. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include NYSE:HCA. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
CNN
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNN
Tesla - finally - announces when it will face its shareholders
Tesla finally announced the date of its annual meeting, after dozens of angry shareholders asked what was taking it so long. A group of Tesla shareholders Wednesday sent a letter to the company demanding it schedule an annual meeting, as legally required. On Thursday, Tesla did just that, setting a date for November 6. But that date is four months beyond the legal deadline for its next shareholder meeting. Texas law, where the company is incorporated, requires annual meetings every 13 months. The shareholder letter this week, which includes some Democratic officials who oversee public pension funds holding Tesla shares, had pointed out this deadline, demanding the company set a date. 'This delay is particularly troubling in light of the growing investor scrutiny Tesla faces,' the letter said. The disagreement with shareholders over a setting a meeting date - a typical exercise at thousands of companies - underscores the trouble Tesla is in, with even longtime Wall Street fans expressing concerns about the company's direction and its controversial CEO, Elon Musk. 'We believe this is a tipping point in the Tesla story and ultimately the Tesla board needs to act now and set the ground rules for Musk going forward around his political ambitions and actions,' Wedbush Securities Dan Ives wrote in a note to clients Tuesday. Such meetings give shareholders the at least the theoritical opportunity to speak directly with the board and CEO Elon Musk. Among the many problems facing Tesla: the worst sales declines in the company's history, plunging profits and stock prices, and upcoming changes to US incentives for electric vehicles that could cost the company billions. And of course, backlash to Musk's political activities and previous connection to President Donald Trump causing lasting brand damage. The filing by Tesla Thursday did not give a reason for the meeting delay and the company did not respond to a request for comment. One of the signatories, New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, said the announcement of the November meeting is not enough to satisfy the group's concerns. 'Tesla's announcement of its annual shareholder meeting is a welcome, if belated, recognition that the rule of law applies to everyone – even the world's richest man and his company,' Lander said in a statement to CNN. 'The basic rules of corporate governance rules are not optional; they are fundamental protections for shareholders and public markets. Together with other long-term investors, we will remain vigilant and hold Tesla accountable to shareholders.' Annual meetings give shareholders relatively little power to confront a company's executives. Shareholders can ask questions, but those getting the chance to ask can be controlled by the company. Tesla allows individual shareholders to post questions for management during their earnings calls, but controls which questions will be asked during the call itself. Typically, the tougher questions are not chosen. Shareholders do have the option of waging proxy battles to try and set corporate policy or replace board members, but those are expensive and generally unsuccessful efforts. Tesla shareholders have demonstrated strong support for Musk in the past, although that was before he stoked many of the past year's controversies, such as much of his political involvement. At the June 2024 annual meeting, shareholders voted 84% in favor of restoring a massive 2018 pay package for Musk, which had been previously thrown out by a Delaware court. The court subsequently voided the pay package. Tesla is appealing that decision.
Zawya
09-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Activist investors set to push for changes as dealmaking picks up
NEW YORK/FRANKFURT - Activist shareholders are poised to push harder for corporate changes in the coming months, finding fresh confidence to launch campaigns as the pace of dealmaking picks up again. Bankers, lawyers, and investors forecast a spike in fights over corporate leadership, operational improvements and spin-offs in the second half of 2025. Many global corporations will gird for costly and time-consuming battles, they said, even as some activist investors may be willing to compromise. "Activity in the back half of the year will be more significant," said Alfredo Porretti, global co-head of Shareholder Engagement and M&A Capital Markets at JPMorgan Chase. "Activists are aiming more carefully but are not pulling the trigger yet." The expected rebound in campaigns at global companies will follow an unusually quiet second quarter when only 59 were launched, including ones at U.S. information technology company Hewlett Packard Enterprise and U.S. consumer healthcare company Kenvue, which makes Band-Aids and Tylenol. Between April and the end of June, the pace of campaigns where investors push for changes to boost the share price shrank by 16% from a busy first quarter. They were down 32% from a year ago, Barclays' data show. Investors said many activists remained on the sidelines in the second quarter, worried about how U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs and tax policies might affect their proposed strategies to improve corporate performance. "Activists re-evaluated public campaigns in the second quarter given equity market volatility and macro uncertainty but, privately, there were significant levels of agitation through to mid-year," said Pam Codo-Lotti, chief operating officer of Activism and Shareholder Advisory at Goldman Sachs . Looking ahead, both established corporate agitators such as Elliott Investment Management, Jana Partners and Sachem Head Capital Management are reviewing new ideas, as are newcomers who have never tried to publicly prod companies to perform better, people familiar with their work said. Already in the first days of the second half, activist Starboard Value built a stake in online travel company Tripadvisor with plans to engage with management. Activists usually target companies during the fall and winter months, long before the next year's annual meeting season in the spring. Often they start with private talks before making demands public. Companies are preparing for the expected onslaught. Board members with negative memories of previous activist pressure are pushing management to hire advisers now to assess vulnerabilities and take pre-emptive action, said two directors at large American companies not permitted to discuss the preparations publicly. Long-tenured directors might be replaced or chief executives not keeping pace with peers might be moved out, they said. "In times of economic volatility and uncertainty, shareholder activism is more likely due to weak spots in companies," said Ingo Speich, head of sustainability and corporate governance at German asset manager Deka Investment. "Poor governance is a constant source of shareholder activism. Companies in transition mode are more vulnerable and open windows for shareholders to become more active." So far this year, the favorite demand for activist investors has been a call for board changes, appearing in 43% of campaigns during the first half of 2025. Activist Mantle Ridge successfully pushed for board changes at Air Products and Chemicals and Elliott did so at Phillips 66. Looking ahead, bankers and lawyers expect a pickup in demands for sales of companies or spin-offs, which featured in only 33% of all campaigns in the first half. They pointed to growing investor confidence that the pace of global dealmaking will pick up. "We expect public activist campaigns levels to accelerate in the second half of the year with renewed focus on M&A targets, of course barring macro headwinds," Goldman's Codo-Lotti said. After making a name for themselves years ago with noisy public campaigns waged by investors like Carl Icahn, Bill Ackman and Daniel Loeb, many activists are now ready to adopt a lower profile and stay out of the headlines, bankers and lawyers said. Institutional investors, who jointly oversee $35 trillion in assets, "overwhelmingly view activism as a useful market force" and 77% see it as a catalyst for change while 71% call it a driver of accountability, according to new research from shareholder advisory firm SquareWell Partners. With their reputations established, activists may be ready to stop short of waging expensive and messy proxy fights, agreeing instead to quiet settlements. For instance, Jana Partners had long pushed French-fry maker Lamb Weston for operational and board changes and possibly even a sale of the company. In late June, the hedge fund averted a high-profile boardroom fight by scoring a settlement that put four of its candidates on the board and added two that both sides agreed on. "Peace may indeed be breaking out with more settlements reached and board seats going to the activists," JPMorgan's Porretti said, adding "but the settlements are reached only if each side is feeling a little weakness."
NHK
08-07-2025
- Business
- NHK
Activist investors spark change at Japanese firms
Activist investors have been unwelcome at Japanese companies due to their demands. But that is starting to change.
