Remuneration

The Future of Smaller Company Capital Markets in the UK

Post Date: November 1, 2024

This article reflects the opinions of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. New Financial Report Launched On 17th October, I attended the launch of New Financial’s excellent report, which was held at the London Stock Exchange. I recommend reading the detailed version (c 35 pages), which I regard as required reading for all serious investors. Full report Summary of the report My key takeaways: Swedes are 5 times as likely to invest in shares than Brits. (Around 40% of Swedish adults have a simple and ...

How and Why I’m Voting at Nationwide’s Upcoming AGM

Post Date: July 10, 2024

This article reflects the opinions of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. A personal view from ShareSoc Director, Mark Bentley Nationwide has chosen to hold its AGM online only, this year on 15th July. I believe that this will be a controversial AGM, so it is disappointing that the directors have chosen not to face Nationwide’s members in person. The chief source of controversy, in my opinion, was the board’s decision to acquire Virgin Money, without consulting its members. Now, I ...

Dunelm Results and Pay at Safestore

Post Date: September 22, 2022

The views expressed in this article are those of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. Dunelm (DNLM) published their preliminary results this morning (14/9/2022) – I no longer hold them. They were surprisingly good bearing in mind they are a homeware retailer – sales up 16% and EPS up 30%. Clearly the anticipated vulnerability to rising inflation and consumers being hit by a recession has not yet come to pass although forecasts for next year are lower. They say trading in ...

Comments on GB Group and Voting Considerations

Post Date: July 5, 2022

This article represents the view of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc. GB Group (GBG) is a provider of digital location, identity verification and fraud prevention systems. Because of the need to identify people quickly and at low cost in the digital world, it has been a great success in the last few years and has become one of the largest AIM companies. Revenue has grown from £87m to £242m in the last 5 years although profits have been less ...

When is a concert party not a concert party?

Post Date: October 19, 2021

The views expressed in this article are those of the author, not necessarily those of ShareSoc. Today’s RNS from GHE (Gresham House plc) who own Gresham House Asset Management...

ISS announce pay issues survey results

Post Date: October 14, 2021

This article represents the view of its author and not necessarily those of ShareSoc The issue of skin in the game and executive pay and how this impacts future share price (and dividends) performance is a crucial one. My favourite quote is from Charlie Munger "you show me the incentives and I will show you the behaviours". So when leading proxy advisor firm ISS announce their plans for next year, it is well worth looking at them. Please note these are their US ...

Daily Mail, 26 August 2021, Fury at £100m bonus for the Sports Direct prince

Post Date: August 28, 2021

Mike Ashley does it again: stirring up controversy over a proposed bonus scheme for his future son-in-law. ShareSoc director (and former remuneration consultant) Cliff Weight is quoted in this article in the Daily Mail: Cliff Weight, of small shareholders campaign group Sharesoc, also questioned why Murray was worth his enormous pay package. He raised concerns that Ashley would be able to ram the proposal through at an annual general meeting next month even if other investors resist. 'This is clearly a case of a 60 ...

Unanswered Questions at Eleco

Post Date: May 22, 2021

I received an unhelpful response to a question today (19th May) from Eleco (ELCO). I have been a shareholder for some time in this construction software company. The company announced on the 26th of April that it had received a requisition notice that covered resolutions to reappoint two directors, that all directors stand for re-election at future AGMs and that the remuneration committee report be approved. It was certainly unusual that such resolutions were not on the AGM agenda on the 6th ...

Daily Mail, 2 May 2021, Aviva Investor Revolt

Post Date: May 2, 2021

The Daily Mail quoted ShareSoc Director Cliff Weight in its 2 May Aviva article https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-9535371/Aviva-faces-investor-revolt-preference-shares-scandal.html Aviva faces an investor revolt this week after angering shareholders by deciding not to claw back fees from directors who oversaw a preference shares scandal. The insurer was rocked in 2018 when it said it was considering buying back shares marketed as 'irredeemable' for less than they were trading at. It reneged on the announcement days later, by which time the shares had tumbled. It was forced to compensate investors. ...

New Year’s Remuneration Resolutions

Post Date: January 12, 2021

By Cliff Weight, ShareSoc Director. I was asked to write an article on remuneration, which was my specialist subject before I retired. I thought ShareSoc readers might be interested in my musings which were published as the lead article in the specialist magazine Executive Compensation Briefing. My article is attached below (free). ecbjan21 pages 1-3

More about Skin in the Game and Impax

Post Date: December 19, 2020

By Cliff Weight, Director, ShareSoc Please note that these are my personal views and not those of ShareSoc. Neither I nor ShareSoc is able to give financial advice and nothing in this blog should be construed as such. Disclosure: I hold shares in Impax but not in IGR. Back to my Portfolio and Impax I have had a busy few weeks, with the launch of the Woodford Campaign, the Sirius webinar and a massive 49 page response to the FCA’s Call for Input on ...

Chrysalis – Vote NO at 26 November General Meeting

Post Date: November 11, 2020

Shareholders are excluded from this GM and there is no pre-meeting webinar to discuss these highly contentious proposals to wind up the VCT and distribute any monies raised (less administration fees, including payments to the failing fund manager and some directors). Several members of the ShareSoc VCT Investor Group (including Tim Grattan, Mark Lauber, Roger Lawson and myself) met on 10 Nov to discuss Chrysalis' plans. Our conclusion was that shareholders should vote against these proposals for the following reasons: Chrysalis is ...

Remuneration

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