Archives: October 2009

CEO Pensions Encourage Earnings Games

Posted by: Nanette Byrnes on October 23

A new study finds that it’s not just the outsized pay packages executives at AIG, Citigroup and others receive that is a problem. Nor are the golden parachutes given those...

Pay Czar Slashes Compensation; Makes Governance Changes

Posted by: Jena McGregor on October 21

In a striking display of government authority, pay czar Kenneth Feinberg is taking a knife to the pay packages of certain companies receiving U.S. funds. According to media reports, the...

Research and Development Spending Slows

Posted by: Emily Thornton on October 21

Here's a sobering prediction: A new study put out by The New Democratic Leadership Council predicts that American investment in research and development will experience its biggest decline in 30...

Book Showdown: Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart, Amazon

Posted by: Nanette Byrnes on October 16

It's never good when an analyst compares your fate to "collateral damage" in a "Nuclear Winter". That's how Credit Suisse's Gary Balter sees Barnes & Noble's fate in the book...

GE Earnings Beat Consensus, But Sales Slip

Posted by: Jena McGregor on October 16

It's becoming a familiar story for investors of General Electric. In its third quarter, the storied Fairfield, Conn.-based conglomerate posted earnings that beat consensus, but were once again weighed down...

Supreme Court to Review Conviction of Enron's Skilling

Posted by: Michael Orey on October 13

Ex Enron CEO Jeffrey K. Skilling’s quest to have his 2006 fraud conviction overturned got a boost today, when the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to consider his case. Skilling cited...

Jobs: Good News, Bad News

Posted by: Nanette Byrnes on October 12

It’s hard to get a handle on the job market these days. While all would agree it’s not good, the specifics are often confusing. A report issued today by Chicago...

How to Call in Sick with Style

Posted by: Nanette Byrnes on October 09

Here is a list of the most unusual excuses employees gave for missing work, offered up by employers. These are real-life examples. No "dog ate my homework" but there is...

Dell's Plant Closure Raises Anger Over Incentives

Posted by: Nanette Byrnes on October 09

Do government incentives aimed at luring businesses to a state or city work? There's already a body of evidence that they often do not. And news out of North Carolina...

Drugmaker Chooses Lone Wolf Strategy

Posted by: Arlene Weintraub on October 07

On October 6, shares of pharmaceutical startup MannKind Corp. plummeted 30% to $6.30, when the company predicted it wouldn't sign a partnership deal with a well-capitalized Big Pharma company until...

Wall Street Bonuses Likely To Remain Bigger Than Ever

Posted by: Emily Thornton on October 06

Here are some interesting results of a survey I received in my inbox today: eFinancialCareers.com surveyed 1,074 finance professionals in September about their bonus expectations. Of the group, 83 percent...

Moment of Truth for Bank of America's Board

Posted by: Matthew Boyle on October 02

This is a guest post from Jeremy Garlington, an Atlanta-based leadership consultant and author of blog The Garlington Report (www.povblogger.blogspot.com). Whoever fills the CEO role at the nation's largest bank,...

Benefits: The Good News. Sort of.

Posted by: Emily Thornton on October 01

Depending on your view of the general state of corporate benefits, here's some potentially good news: They're unlikely to change this year, according to a recent study by human resources...

CEO Turnover: A Sign of Recovery?

Posted by: Jena McGregor on October 01

It's been a week of changes at the top, with the number of major companies announcing succession plans, CEO resignations or departures mounting by the day. Under fire at the...