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Giving Jarndyce some competition at Chiquita …

July 30, 2010
By Theo Francis
Giving Jarndyce some competition at Chiquita …

The litigation section of company filings often reminds us of Jandyce and Jarndyce, the interminable lawsuit that is the backdrop of Charles Dickens’ novel Bleak House, a case so long-running and convoluted that “he little plaintiff or defendant who was promised a new rocking-horse when Jarndyce and Jarndyce should be settled has grown up, possessed...
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A sweet retirement at Northrop Grumman …

July 30, 2010
By Theo Francis
A sweet retirement at Northrop Grumman …

Ronald W. Sugar stepped down last month as chairman and chief executive of Northrop Grumman (NOC) after 29 years at the company, under a plan announced last year. He may still do a little work for them here and there, though — starting at $5,560 a day. Granted, the work isn’t full-time. It comes under...
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Citi settles as big firms fret over obscenities …

July 29, 2010
By Theo Francis
Citi settles as big firms fret over obscenities …

Another stormy summer day in Washington, another high-profile lawsuit from the Securities and Exchange Commission — this one against Citigroup and former senior executives of the company. Once again, it’s about disclosure, and the agency’s press release puts it succinctly: “Citigroup repeatedly made misleading statements in earnings calls and public filings about the extent of its...
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Striking retirement gold at Newmont Mining …

July 29, 2010
By Theo Francis
Striking retirement gold at Newmont Mining …

For many titans of government and industry, a spot on a corporate board or two is just the thing when a long career begins to draw to a close, or to bridge the gap between one endeavor and another. But what to do when you want to retire from the corporate board? Newmont Mining Corp....
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Raising the (directors’) rates at Hospira …

July 28, 2010
By Theo Francis
Raising the (directors’) rates at Hospira …

We all hear a lot about health-care inflation. We hear less about inflation in director compensation at health-care companies. Yet it seems to be very real at Hospira (HSP), the specialty pharmaceutical supplier to hospitals, clinics, nursing homes and other institutions. On June 16, Hospira’s board voted itself a decent pay raise: It increased its...
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GE settlement follows silence over inquiry …

July 27, 2010
By Theo Francis
GE settlement follows silence over inquiry …

It isn’t every day that one of the biggest industrial companies settles foreign bribery charges — and almost acknowledges the allegations in the process. Given that the company didn’t tell investors that the investigation was even underway, that’s not half bad. Today General Electric (GE) settled allegations by the Securities and Exchange Commission that several...
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SanDisk thanks a founder for the memories …

July 27, 2010
By Theo Francis
SanDisk thanks a founder for the memories …

At year’s end, Eli Harari is stepping down from a long stint as chairman and chief executive of SanDisk (SNDK), the company he co-founded and which makes those little cards that store your digital photos. So perhaps it’s no surprise that the company is thanking Harari with more than a pretty speech or two. Harari...
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Lawsuits and drugs busts at Union Pacific …

July 26, 2010
By Theo Francis
Lawsuits and drugs busts at Union Pacific …

It turns out working on the railroad is a lot more varied than we ever imagined as children. This we learn from the “legal proceedings” section of a 10-Q filed Friday afternoon by Union Pacific (UNP), the railroad giant. That section can be dull and predictable, with tech companies describing endless patent disputes and big...
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Question about Dell’s settlement timeline …

July 23, 2010
By Theo Francis
Question about Dell’s settlement timeline …

Now that Dell (company and founder alike) has settled with the Securities and Exchange Commission, no doubt investors and management will forge ahead. But we want to take one moment to look back — not to the sordid accounting gimmicks and misleading disclosure laid out in the SEC’s case, but rather to Dell’s disclosures...
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Some final adjustments at AmeriCredit …

July 23, 2010
By Theo Francis
Some final adjustments at AmeriCredit …

More than two months before announcing that General Motors Co. intended to buy the subprime auto lender, AmeriCredit (ACF) made a slew of changes to employment agreements with its top officers: Extending non-compete clauses for some, sweetening severance for others. The bare bones of the changes were mentioned in a single paragraph at the end...
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