Innovative Plan for Encouraging Employee Ownership

In the U.S., it's common for companies to provide employee ownership as a benefit. Outside the U.S., executives in most countries strongly dislike that idea. They want employees to buy stock. But how can employees do that if they have limited discretionary income?

Inside the Clif Bar ESOP Transaction

Inc. magazine ran a detailed insider account of the time in 2000 when now ESOP-owned Clif Bar decided against a third-party sale. At the eleventh hour, Gary Erickson, who owned 50% of the company, called off a sale to Quaker Oats.

Internal Equity and Executive Pay

Despite increasing unease with the levels of top executive compensation, a recent WatsonWyatt/WorldatWork study shows that 73% of large companies want their top executives to be at or above the medi

International Corporate Governance Network Urges Options Accounting and Reform

The International Corporate Governance Network, an organization of leading institutional investors, has agreed on a series of proposed corporate reforms that includes a call for companies to expense options, dole out options in smaller but more frequent packages (to avoid the need for repricing),

Introducing the Equity Compensation Report

When it comes to stock options, restricted stock, and other forms of equity compensation, a review of existing publications gives the impression that these plans exist only in public companies and usually only apply to a minority of employees.

Iowa Closer to Passing Employee Ownership Law

The Iowa House of Representatives passed a bill to encourage ESOPs in the state by a vote of 92-3. The proposal, strongly backed by the governor, now moves to the Senate, where approval seems certain.