Resources
We conduct original research on the causes of short-term business decisions and work to find practical solutions.
Investor-Corporate Engagement | Toolkit
6 October 2020 - In the right circumstances, buybacks can further long-term goals; new tools and guidelines could help evaluate buybacks on their long-term merits.
Investor-Corporate Engagement | In the News
1 July 2020 - FCLTGlobal CEO Sarah Williamson joins Yahoo Finance’s On The Move panel to address how activist investors are impacting markets.
Investor-Corporate Engagement | Report
25 June 2020 - Having a strong investor/corporate dialogue well before an activist campaign arises is the way to encourage companies to proactively improve the drivers of long-term value creation—such as bolstering their governance, honing strategies for growth, and engaging with long-term investors. Strong long-term performance is the best way to limit opportunity for an activist campaign. Indeed, rather than being a spectator, long-term investors have a significant role to play alongside companies to counteract short-term activist behaviors. It is well within the power of these long-term investors to...
Investor-Corporate Engagement, Policy | Video, Article
23 June 2020 -
Investor-Corporate Engagement, Governance | Article
30 April 2020 - Look after employees, customers, and suppliers; adopt a through-cycle mindset; and communicate transparently. Profits and dividends will come later if you make the right moves now.
Investor-Corporate Engagement | Report
15 April 2020 - While some companies take a “one share, one vote” approach to shareholder decision-making, others give disproportionate voting rights to founders or choose to offer multiple share classes, each with different voting power.
Investor-Corporate Engagement | In the News
14 April 2020 - With a growing list of companies suspending earnings guidance, FCLT Global CEO Sarah Keohane Williamson explains why quarterly guidance can be problematic.
Investor-Corporate Engagement | Video
22 January 2020 - The shift towards stakeholder capitalism calls for a new vision of good environmental, social and corporate governance. What difficult decisions must chief executives take to pivot towards stronger governance by stakeholders?
Investor-Corporate Engagement | Video
22 January 2020 - From WEF 2020 in Davos, Sarah Williamson stresses the need to focus on all stakeholders, not just shareholders.
Investor-Corporate Engagement | Article
11 April 2019 - When considering going public, private companies often express concern about the perceived short-term fixation of public markets. In response, some choose to stay out of the public markets – to the detriment of our overall economic health. But other companies address this concern by issuing multiple classes of shares, each with different voting rights. Common practice is to assign more voting rights to one class of stock than the other, with the superior voting rights going to founders or other insiders. Issuing companies say that they take...
Investor-Corporate Engagement, Policy | Article
5 April 2019 - Research has consistently found that the vast majority of corporate executives think that short-term pressure is changing their business decisions and harming long-term value. Recent work from FCLTGlobal has shown that an effective way to combat this phenomenon is by moving away from quarterly guidance. After calls from the White House and American business leaders in the latter half of 2018 to reexamine the standards for corporate guidance and reporting in American business, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has requested public comment on how to enhance the investor protection attributes of periodic disclosures...
Investor-Corporate Engagement | Report
21 February 2019 - Roadmaps have a proven record at leading companies, and evidence suggests that the majority of investors (especially long-term investors) prefer this approach. By focusing on key elements of performance such as competitive advantages, long-term objectives, and a strategic plan matched with clear capital allocation priorities, companies can build buy-in among long-term investors who support a focus on long-term value creation. Survey after survey indicates that investors prefer forward-looking, long-term guidance around a company’s strategy and expected performance. This paper, which represents the collective effort and experience...