Pavel Savor - Faculty Research in Knowledge@Wharton

Winners and Losers in the Rising Tide of Proxy Wars

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:40:28 EST

Companies ranging from Yahoo and CSX to Motorola, H.J. Heinz and Time Warner have been the target of proxy wars over the past few years as disgruntled shareholders try to force changes in corporate behavior and/or top management. But while proxy battles these days are more prevalent and easier to launch than ever, it's unclear exactly what they accomplish. As one Wharton professor notes: "It's a good thing for shareholders that these activists rattle the cage. Whether they ultimately create value for shareholders is another issue."

Private Equity Is on a Roll, but Are Investors in for a Let-down?

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:27:02 EST

With private equity investors of all types flush with cash -- from venture capitalists and hedge funds to large leveraged buyout (LBO) firms such as The Blackstone Group and The Carlyle Group -- private financing hit record levels in 2006 and is likely to remain strong in the new year, according to Wharton faculty and industry analysts. Nearly a third of the dollar value of all U.S. acquisitions last year involved private equity firms, up from 3% five years ago. But just how long can this boom continue, and what changes may be in store for private equity models?