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Pre-Emption Resolutions Likely to Change

Pre-Emption rights are a very positive feature of the UK stock market scene. They prevent companies from issuing shares without existing shareholder consent, except to a limited extent. That avoids excessive dilution without your consent. The Pre-Emption Group sets the guidelines for this voluntary system which generally means that for larger companies 5% is the limit without getting a shareholder vote in favour. A resolution to cover this for the next year is on most AGM agendas. The Pre-Emption Group have ...

Alliance Trust AGM

I was unfortunately unable to travel to the Alliance Trust AGM in Dundee as I hoped to do because of a medical problem, but here is a report from Jim Cook: Alliance Trust 2016 AGM, Dundee, 6th May 2016 The AGM was well attended with around 300 shareholders represented. In his opening remarks Lord Smith explained why he had accepted the Chairmanship. Firstly, the company faced challenges.  Secondly, what needed to be done had been identified.  Thirdly, a plan was in place.  Lord ...

Rolls-Royce and Other AGMs

Yesterday I attended the Annual General Meeting of Rolls-Royce Plc - held at 11.00 in Nottingham (at a conference centre on the University Park). Why move the venue from London where it has been held since 2004? Probably to attract a more sympathetic audience of ex-employees I suspect. Shareholders in Rolls-Royce don't need to be told that this company is going through a rough patch. Profits in the last two years have been miniscule, the dividends have been cut and even revenue ...

ShareSoc’s Response to Head of AIM

On Monday, The Times published the response of Marcus Stuttard, head of AIM, to public criticism Sharesoc levelled against the lack of effective regulation of the AIM market. We have today...

Pay at Weir, Reckitt-Benckiser and WPP

Yesterday saw Weir Group Plc defeated on pay. Both the Remuneration Report and Remuneration Policy resolutions were lost with 73% and 70% of votes AGAINST them respectively. This is a very damning blow to this FTSE-250 company which makes pumps for the mining and oil markets. The company subsequently issued a grovelling apologia for the proposals they had tried to implement which included a "stock awards" scheme that was based on share price performance rather than more direct performance criteria (such as ...