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Zynga has given its new CEO big incentives to sell the company

don mattrick zynga ceo

US social-gaming company Zynga hasn’t just given its new chief executive a pay package worth as much as $100 million over five years. It has also structured the package in a way that could encourage him to try to sell the company sooner rather than later.

Apathetic shareholders can be as much of a problem for companies as hostile ones

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is in a frustrating pickle. The US chipmaker wants to issue up to 16.5 million new shares so it can pay its executives in stock options and restricted shares. Shareholders have voted more than 85% in favor of the plan. And yet AMD can’t go ahead. Or rather, it can—with a hefty price tag.

This company successfully thwarted investors’ efforts to reign in executive pay

We recently told you about four companies ignoring their shareholders’ votes. One was Hecla Mining, a silver producer that held the polls open longer than planned when it looked like shareholders were going to reject management’s pay package.

The vote is only advisory, but Hecla’s stalling worked: Instead of failing 49.6% to 46.7%, the company’s say-on-pay vote passed with 53.7% of the vote.

Why Wal-Mart’s $15 billion stock buyback may not be as great as it seems

Hugh Jackman Wal-Mart shareholders meeting

When Wal-Mart Stores does a thing, it does it big. The stock buy-back it announced at its annual meeting today is no exception, at $15 billion, hot on the heels of an earlier $15-billion repurchase plan.

So it’s probably a good time to remember that stock buybacks generally aren’t the unparalleled good that they can seem at first glance.

JPMorgan Works to Avert Split of Chief and Chairman Roles

Original publication date: 
Friday, April 5, 2013 - 18:07

JPMorgan Chase is working behind the scenes to avert a major potential embarrassment.

Report Identifies Companies Vulnerable to Activist Takeovers

Original publication date: 
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 - 12:01

Looking for a juicy takeover candidate?

A new report suggests you might find one at Fifth Third Bancorp, the utility holding company Ameren or ConAgra Foods. Those are among the big companies most vulnerable to takeover based on an analysis of stock holdings at institutional investors and other major shareholders

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