On June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that will determine whether Section 47(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (ICA) creates a private right of action for shareholders of registered investment...more
Join us for the next KPMG Board Leadership Center quarterly webcast as we discuss trends from the 2025 proxy season. Topics to be discussed include: - A look at proxy voting trends and outcomes - The board’s story and...more
Is a report by a short seller followed by a stock decline enough to plead securities fraud? This month, the Fourth Circuit considered this issue. In Defeo v. IonQ, Inc., a group of investors sued IonQ, a developer of quantum...more
The SEC staff recently modified guidance indicating when “shareholder engagement” by an investor holding more than 5% of the stock of a public company constitutes “influencing control” that requires reporting on a long-form...more
As part of proceedings brought by activist shareholders of Nano Dimension, an Israeli incorporated Nasdaq traded company, the District Court ruled that ADS (American Depository Share) holders should be treated as shareholders...more
2024 was a prolific year for activists, with 243 campaigns launched globally – the highest number since 2018. US activity was up modestly, and a busy year in Asia offset a quieter year in Europe. With the 2025 proxy season in...more
Public companies always have an abundance of priorities to address, and defending against shareholder activism is increasingly at the top of the agenda. Across industries and market caps, today's activists are more aggressive...more
The latest edition of Davies’ Governance Insights is now available. In this issue, we review 10 developments that general counsel and directors of Canadian public companies, and their investors, should know for 2025 and...more
Join us for the next KPMG Board Leadership Center quarterly webcast as we discuss trends from the proxy season. Topics - A look at proxy voting trends and outcomes - The board’s story and corporate disclosure -...more
Who may be interested: Closed-End Funds; Investment Advisers - Quick Take: An investment manager and offshore fund have sued a closed-end fund for adopting a “poison pill” provision that prevents shareholders with more...more
Over the past few years, activist investors have submitted a number of shareholder proposals to major fossil fuel companies concerning issues relating to climate change. Recently, two such investors submitted a proposal...more
Despite a slowdown in M&A activity and macroeconomic headwinds, stockholder activism remains a potentially powerful tool for investors aiming to extract value from companies. The activism landscape continues to evolve as new...more
This edition of Skadden’s quarterly Insights looks at the latest trends in shareholder activism, the scrutiny companies are facing over their ESG disclosures and employment considerations for using AI in the workplace, among...more
In the current environment, tax-free spinoffs may be the best option for companies focusing their business lines, we explain in this issue of The Informed Board. Spin-offs do not depend on third parties, and they preserve...more
Shareholder activism continued unabated in 2022 and we see very little to suggest that will change in 2023. Overall, the number of activist campaigns were up 36% in 2022. However, activists continue to struggle to...more
Not long ago, companies could reliably project when shareholder activists would strike — and ready their defenses in advance. As sure as the seasons would turn, proposals would begin to appear around the holidays, voting...more
Goldstein v. Denner, C.A. No. 2020-1061-JTL (Del. Ch. May 26, 2022) - In this case, an activist investor and director was alleged to have concealed an eventual acquiror’s expression of interest while he leveraged that...more
Forty-eight Japanese companies received shareholder proposals in the June 2021 general meetings (162 proposals in total). This represents a modest decrease compared to last year, when 55 companies received shareholder...more
Williams: Court of Chancery Finds Poison Pill Unenforceable - In February, the Delaware Court of Chancery held that a shareholder rights plan (a "poison pill") adopted by The Williams Companies, Inc. at the onset of the...more
The number of stockholder rights plans (also known as “poison pills”) adopted in 2020 significantly increased compared to prior years. The collapse in public company equity values during the inception of the COVID-19...more
The primary focus of many retailers in the near term will likely be on staying afloat and addressing their liquidity needs, the health and safety of their employees and customers, the overall health of their businesses, and...more
While balance sheet proposals saw a slight downturn, COVID-19 and FEFTA appear not to have dampened shareholders' desire to effect change via AGM proposals....more
Recently, the frequency of stockholder demands to inspect corporate books and records pursuant to Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law has increased. In turn, the case law concerning Section 220 demands is...more
Regardless of a company’s success or confidence in its strategy, management, and board, there are few situations public companies face that are more daunting than an unsolicited approach by an activist investor. And with...more
On October 16, 2018, Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster of the Delaware Court of Chancery issued a post-trial opinion in In re PLX Technology Inc. Stockholder Litigation, a dispute arising from the August 2014 merger between...more