Latest news with #corporateperformance
CNA
01-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Why CEOs are paid so highly — and why it matters
CNA938 Rewind Play Singtel chief executive officer's pay rose more than 16 per cent in FY2025, on the back of the company's increased profits. Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines CEO saw his pay fall by 13.5 per cent even as the flag carrier's earnings reached a record high. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman chats with Professor Mak Yuen Teen, Professor of Practice of Accounting at NUS Business School. They find out what determines a CEO's salary and whether it is reflective of the company's performance. CNA938 Rewind - Why CEOs are paid so highly — and why it matters Singtel chief executive officer's pay rose more than 16 per cent in FY2025, on the back of the company's increased profits. Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines CEO saw his pay fall by 13.5 per cent even as the flag carrier's earnings reached a record high. Andrea Heng and Hairianto Diman chats with Professor Mak Yuen Teen, Professor of Practice of Accounting at NUS Business School. They find out what determines a CEO's salary and whether it is reflective of the company's performance. 8 mins CNA938 Rewind - A Letter to Myself: How Pranati Bagchi built a lavender spaceship to fuel young girls' confidence Pranati Bagchi the founder of The Lavender Spaceship Project, an online school that provides a "girl-centric" education in coding and other tech-related skills. Pranati shares how the seeds of her entrepreneurial journey were planted when he daughter had a dispiriting experience at a coding class, how she persevered through the early days of being a one-woman-operation, and how her students are gaining more than just technical skills but the confidence to believe that they too can reach for the stars. 34 mins CNA938 Rewind - TalkBack: Pre-authorisation certification - Are you using more private healthcare services? Great Eastern has halted pre-authorisation certificates for admissions to Mount Elizabeth hospitals in Orchard and Novena, citing 'efforts to manage rising healthcare costs and ensure long-term affordability for all policyholders.' Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak with Alfred Chia, CEO of SingCapital, to discuss whether more Singaporeans are turning to private healthcare services. 17 mins CNA938 Rewind - First RTS Link train unveiled — an engineer weighs in The first of eight trains for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System has been unveiled, as the project gains steam. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak with engineering expert Teo Chor Kok, a member of the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technical Committee at the Institution of Engineers, Singapore. 10 mins
SBS Australia
24-06-2025
- Business
- SBS Australia
Nearly all of Australia's top CEOs get performance bonuses — regardless of performance
Almost all of Australia's top chief executives are, according to their boards at least, knocking it out of the park in terms of performance. That is despite sluggish productivity, persistently high carbon emissions, rising inequality and Australia's public spending on research and development being among the lowest in the OECD. According to new data from the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, 91 per cent of Australia's top chief executive officers (CEOs) received some form of performance bonus last year. That elevated their pay well above their base salaries (which were already over $1 million). Only five CEOs out of 142 eligible for a bonus received zero. The fact nearly all of Australia's top CEOs are receiving these performance bonuses shows performance pay is more about rewarding conformity and discipline than risk-taking and entrepreneurship. Do we really believe 91 per cent of our CEOs made big bets that paid off last year? A more plausible explanation is that we simply reward executives for not stuffing up. Their customer base is growing in line with population growth and their prices are rising faster than their cost of production, which means profits rise without too much effort. Take the electricity industry for example. It's hard to imagine an industry in which change is more inevitable than the industry responsible for transitioning away from gas and coal-fired power stations to renewable energy. But according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the electricity, gas and water industry spends a mere 0.24 per cent of sales on research and development each year. That is half the economy-wide average. Unfortunately, innovation does not appear to be a prerequisite for CEOs being rewarded with large bonuses. According to Energy Australia, its CEO Mark Collette (base salary over $1 million) recently challenged a room full of other well-paid leaders at Australian Energy Week to continuously ask themselves: "Will this make energy cheaper?" However instead of focusing on keeping costs down for consumers, companies have sometimes resorted to misleading statements. Energy Australia recently admitted to misleading customers by claiming the coal and gas-fired electricity it was selling was "carbon neutral". Energy Australia was buying widely used carbon offsets to make the claim the fossil-fuel fired electricity it was selling was carbon neutral. In its apology, Energy Australia conceded "offsets do not prevent or undo the harms caused by burning fossil fuels for a customer's energy use". While it is clear Energy Australia's spending on carbon credits did nothing to make the company's energy cheaper, it is not yet clear if the board will award a "performance bonus". Another example of the lack of relationship between CEO pay and organisational performance is Australia's university sector. The vice chancellors of Australian universities are among the best paid in the world, with over a dozen Australian earning more than the head of Cambridge University. But there is no correlation between student satisfaction and vice chancellor pay. And while Australian vice chancellor pay has been soaring, Australian universities have been slipping steadily down international rankings for university quality. While performance-based bonuses and incentives are common among CEOs and vice chancellors, the same is not true for lower-paid staff. Instead, these staff are often asked to "do more, with less" even as their real wages have declined. Universities have seen a notable decline in academic staff per student while the gap between the pay of lecturers and vice chancellors has skyrocketed. Extremely high salaries for CEOs and vice chancellors have done nothing to boost Australian productivity growth, or our performance in global rankings for our universities, research and development or innovation. Paying out large bonuses for average performance has done little to help either. Inequality in Australia is rising. As long as CEO pay is rising faster than the minimum wages, that gap will continue to widen. The latest data showed CEO salaries are 55 times that of the average worker. While it is true it is hard to measure the performance of a CEO, it's also hard to measure the care and attention provided by a childcare worker, the compassion of an aged care nurse, the helpfulness of a call centre operator or the enthusiasm of a lecturer. Few CEOs think we need bonuses to motivate the vast majority of Australian workers. But it is heresy to suggest those at the top of a big organisation could simply work diligently without a giant bonus. So, it's not just income that is unequal in Australia. We expect a lot more self-motivation from those at the bottom of the income distribution than those at the very top.
Trade Arabia
25-05-2025
- Business
- Trade Arabia
BNET completes first comprehensive risk culture assessment
Bahrain National Broadband Network (BNET), the national broadband service provider, has announced the completion of its first comprehensive assessment of risk culture and employee behaviors towards risks and their management within the organization. This initiative was undertaken in collaboration with Deloitte, involving teams within the leading global professional services firm across the Middle East and Australia, underscoring BNET's commitment to enhancing its risk management practices and fostering a proactive approach to risks across the enterprise. The assessment adopted a multi-faceted approach to understanding BNET's risk culture. This included the administration of a tailored employee survey to gather comprehensive insights into awareness and behaviors related to risk identification and discussion. Furthermore, a review of existing risk management policies and frameworks was undertaken to identify both strengths and areas for potential enhancement. Deloitte also conducted a series of interviews and discussions with employees across various organizational levels to pinpoint key factors shaping their risk-related behaviors. The assessment process concluded with a dedicated workshop involving BNET's senior leadership team to define the necessary actions for fortifying enterprise risk management On the assessment results, Ahmed Alfadhel, Director Strategy and Corporate Performance at BNET, said: "Given BNET's pivotal role in managing Bahrain's broadband network, conducting a thorough risk assessment focusing on behavioral aspects is of paramount importance." "With Deloitte's support, this assessment revealed a work environment that encourages open dialogue about risks. Key findings also indicated that most employees feel secure in discussing risks related to their work, thereby proactively enhancing their management and mitigation," he stated. "Leveraging these results, we have developed a comprehensive plan aimed at achieving our desired state of risk management, which will contribute to supporting our mission of providing a secure network for all," he noted. Rushdi Kikhia, Partner at Deloitte Middle East, said: "We are pleased to support BNET in its risk culture transformation as part of Deloitte Enterprise Risk Services' offerings. Successful risk cultures are those that have evolved from reacting to events to actively engaging in risk management, supported by mature practices for identifying and mitigating risks at all levels." "BNET's initiative to build a strong risk culture, foster high levels of understanding and positive attitudes towards risks, and empower appropriate behavior among its employees was fundamental to the project's success," noted Kikhia. BNET, he said, recognises the vital role of a robust risk culture in fostering a proactive approach to risk assessment and mitigation at all levels.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Brown-Forman Corporation (BF-B): Among Benjamin Graham Stocks for Defensive Investors
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) stands against other Benjamin Graham stocks for defensive investors. Markets in early 2025 are a bit like a moody spring—75 degrees one day, stormy the next. After a strong run in 2023 and 2024, the S&P 500 dropped over 5% year-to-date as investors digested a mix of policy uncertainties, uncertainty around interest rate cuts, and pockets of corporate underperformance. Many stocks are being re-priced as investors grow more selective, and earnings outlooks weaken. At the same time, the bond market is quietly signaling a shift. Treasury yields are still elevated, but there's a growing sense that the Fed may be near the end of its hiking cycle. That has made Treasury and investment-grade bonds more attractive, especially compared to volatile equities. The market is in transition. Investors are moving from chasing momentum to seeking quality. Caution, realism, and discipline are back in style, and so are value stocks. Preparing for a potential recession is less about panic and more about applying timeless principles—many of which were championed by Benjamin Graham, the father of value investing. Graham taught that the key to long-term investment success lies in discipline, patience, and a deep understanding of value. In uncertain economic times, those lessons are more relevant than ever. Graham said in his book 'The market is a pendulum that forever swings between unsustainable optimism (which makes stocks too expensive) and unjustified pessimism (which makes them too cheap). In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine.' Rather than trying to time the market, investors should focus on building a portfolio grounded in quality and resilience. Graham favored companies with strong fundamentals, conservative balance sheets, and consistent earnings power—attributes that tend to shine when the economy slows. Dividend-paying stocks with a history of reliability also fit neatly into Graham's framework, offering both income and a margin of safety. Graham said in The Intelligent Investor: 'The essence of investment management is the management of risks, not the management of returns.' Diversification, another core tenet of Graham's philosophy, helps investors avoid overexposure to any one sector or asset class. Holding a variety of investments—equities, bonds, and even cash—can smooth returns and provide flexibility. Graham often emphasized the importance of keeping a cash reserve, not just for protection, but as a source of opportunity when market prices become irrationally low. Graham said, 'The investor's chief problem—and even his worst enemy—is likely to be himself.' Emotional discipline, especially during turbulent markets, is essential. By remaining rational, reassessing risk exposure, and maintaining a long-term mindset, investors can navigate recessionary periods with the confidence that volatility, like all market conditions, is temporary—and often presents some of the best chances to buy quality assets at a discount. We used the Classic Benjamin Graham Stock Screener by Graham Value to compile a list of the 10 Benjamin Graham stocks for defensive investors. We considered the top 20 stocks on our screen and picked the ones with the highest number of hedge fund investors, as of Q4 2024. The stocks are sorted in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment. At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here). Benjamin Graham Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 38 Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) is the largest American-owned spirits and wine company with a global presence. The company produces and markets over 30 alcoholic beverage brands, with Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey as its flagship product—the top-selling American whiskey globally. Other notable brands include Finlandia vodka, Southern Comfort liqueur, Canadian Mist whisky, and el Jimador tequila. Brown-Forman's Q2 Fy 2025 net sales declined 5% reported, but were flat organically after adjusting for divestitures and FX. Strong growth came from Woodford Reserve, Diplomatico, and Old Forester, while tequila brands el Jimador and Herradura faced headwinds in the US and Mexico. Jack Daniel's showed improving trends, bolstered by RTD innovation and global expansion. Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE:BF-B) expects organic net sales and operating income growth of 2% to 4% in fiscal 2025, driven by strength in international markets, normalizing inventory trends, and a shift toward premiumization in its portfolio. Growth in Brazil, along with innovation in Mexico, is helping to offset declines in the travel retail channel and developed markets. The company anticipates gains from brands like Gin Mare and Diplomatico, as well as improvements in price/mix and the divestiture of lower-margin brands. However, this outlook is tempered by macroeconomic volatility, higher input costs, and uncertainty around consumer demand. While inventory-related headwinds are easing, inflation and higher interest rates may still impact trade. Brown-Forman (NYSE:BF-B) plans to remain disciplined with SG&A and capital expenditures to manage margin pressures while maintaining a long-term focus on growth. Overall, BF-B ranks 4th on our list of Benjamin Graham stocks for defensive investors. While we acknowledge the growth potential of BF-B, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than BF-B but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at . Sign in to access your portfolio
