Stock indices reached record highs in 2024 as the Federal Reserve stayed the course for a soft landing, reducing inflation, while simultaneously preserving a strong labor market. At the same time, increased regulatory vigilance and a rise in global …
Key Insights CEOs globally continue to focus on growth in 2025 despite material challenges and risks ahead. CEOs rank innovation, introducing new products and services, and investing in technology (including AI) as their primary strategies for growing …
After a relative low in global M&A in 2023, the past year witnessed a moderate uptick as the pandemic receded further into the rear-view mirror, the U.S. economy stabilized, inflation declined (albeit with some renewed concern toward the end of the …
There is an extensive body of studies that documents that corporate insiders with access to insider information are able to earn abnormal returns by trading their firms’ shares. Insiders’ sales and purchases are considered by the market to be important …
Democrats and Republicans strongly disagree about climate policy. How does this disagreement influence the greenhouse gas emissions of private-sector firms? In a recent paper, I argue that the political affiliation of U.S. state governors has a …
Observations on the Global Activism Environment in 2024 Global Campaigns Remain Robust as U.S. and APAC Drive Activity Levels 243 campaigns mark the highest total since 2018’s record of 249 campaigns The post-pandemic (2022-2024) period has been the …
Given the growth in Responsible Investing (RI) as an important investment strategy, particularly over the past several decades, we examine why growth in this strategy has differed across countries. In our working paper, Cultural Values and Cross-Country …
Activism has become a constant presence and growing force that publicly traded insurance groups need to be aware of and focused on. The themes from 2024 activist campaigns include: short sellers taking positions and publishing negative news; longer-term …
Through the course of 2024, the development of the ESG and sustainability landscape was dynamic. We anticipate that this dynamism will intensify in 2025, given the implementation and potential amendment of ESG-related regulations and significant …
Posted by Michael Klausner (Stanford University) and Michael Ohlrogge (NYU), on Monday, January 13, 2025 Posted by Martin Lipton, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Posted by Simone Hicks, Jonathan Lewis, and J. Michael Snypes …
The recent homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has put a spotlight on executive security and has prompted many companies to reassess how they are protecting their top executives. We also believe that in the wake of this tragic event it is time …
SEC officials have declared artificial intelligence (“AI”) “the most transformative technology of our times” while cautioning that “if a public company is using AI, that company has to be honest about the role AI plays in its business and not exaggerate it …
KEY TAKEAWAYS No more than 15% of equity plans on the ballot over the past five years limit the plan administrator’s capacity to accelerate awards. Companies’ inclusion of Minimum Vesting Requirements within their plans has remained consistent. Over the …
Key Takaways: Compensation planning for 2025 is well underway. In this Debevoise In Depth, we highlight nine reminders for public companies for the 2025 executive compensation and disclosure season: Understand SEC disclosure and tax implications of …
A growing number of corporate law scholars embrace the idea that employees should have some representation on corporate boards, a concept known as codetermination. Multiple factors drive the calls for reform. America’s labor movement has long been in …
This statement was created by a team including Susana McDermott, ICCR’s Director of Communications and Nadira Narine of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and Cynthia Simon of the Shareholder Rights Group A central tenet of U.S. capital …
In 2024, Delaware courts continued to address important areas of corporate law, particularly regarding controlling stockholders. Several of those high-profile decisions were decided at the trial level and are now on appeal. In 2025, we will be watching as …
Does the membership of an organization’s CEO on its board of directors affect the organization’s performance? CEO board membership can have two opposing effects. On one hand, it can reduce the independence of the board from management and thereby impede …
In this Debevoise In Depth, we outline key considerations for public companies preparing their proxy statements for their 2025 annual meetings, including the timing of new insider trading and equity grant disclosure, pay-versus-performance disclosure and …
Several days ago, John Gulliver and Hal Scott announced on this Forum that “No, SPACs Do Not Dilute Investors” This comes after the Chancery Court has concluded otherwise in about a dozen cases, and after the SEC has issued regulations requiring disclosure …
