'Tis the season for proxies to pile up in your mailbox. Individual investors own about 30% of corporate stock outstanding, but only about one-fourth of them vote. But just as the Internet made its mark on the 2008 political elections, so too is it changing corporate governance -- starting with a grass-roots, online get-out-the-vote campaign.
John Marcoux, a 51-year-old robotics engineer from Auburn Hills, Mich., thinks it's about time: "People are realizing that their voices do count, that they should take the time to understand the issues and make themselves heard."
He found his voice in online forums with other shareholders of On2 Technologies, fighting a takeover bid by Google that they thought was too low. The marshaled forces cast their votes on MoxyVote.com, a Web site launched last November that directs investors to upcoming ballots and makes it easy to vote online. Shareholder advocates can also register on the site to promote their views. The On2 dissidents succeeded in blocking the Google takeover twice, leading to a higher offer. Shareholders okayed the deal in February.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Other sites that are springing up in the online shareholder republic: ProxyDemocracy.com, which tracks proxy votes cast by institutional investors, including most major fund companies, and Share-owners.org, which aims to educate investors on shareholder rights and corporate-governance issues.
-
Stocks Chop as the Unemployment Rate Jumps: Stock Market TodayNovember job growth was stronger than expected, but sharp losses in October and a rising unemployment rate are worrying market participants.
-
Should You Renew Your CD?With rate cuts impacting earnings, we examine if now is a wise time to renew CDs.
-
7 Ways to Plan Now to Save on Medicare IRMAA Surcharges LaterUnderstand the critical two-year lookback period and why aggressive planning before you enroll in Medicare is the most effective way to minimize IRMAA.
-
Best Banks for High-Net-Worth Clientswealth management These banks welcome customers who keep high balances in deposit and investment accounts, showering them with fee breaks and access to financial-planning services.
-
Stock Market Holidays in 2025: NYSE, NASDAQ and Wall Street HolidaysMarkets When are the stock market holidays? Here, we look at which days the NYSE, Nasdaq and bond markets are off in 2025.
-
Stock Market Trading Hours: What Time Is the Stock Market Open Today?Markets When does the market open? While the stock market has regular hours, trading doesn't necessarily stop when the major exchanges close.
-
Bogleheads Stay the CourseBears and market volatility don’t scare these die-hard Vanguard investors.
-
The Current I-Bond Rate Is Mildly Attractive. Here's Why.Investing for Income The current I-bond rate is active until April 2026 and presents an attractive value, if not as attractive as in the recent past.
-
What Are I-Bonds? Inflation Made Them Popular. What Now?savings bonds Inflation has made Series I savings bonds, known as I-bonds, enormously popular with risk-averse investors. How do they work?
-
This New Sustainable ETF’s Pitch? Give Back Profits.investing Newday’s ETF partners with UNICEF and other groups.
-
As the Market Falls, New Retirees Need a Planretirement If you’re in the early stages of your retirement, you’re likely in a rough spot watching your portfolio shrink. We have some strategies to make the best of things.
