Activist attack gives Samsung cover to restructure
- by Enrique Stewart
- in Technology
- — Oct 6, 2016
In a 10-page letter publicized on October 5, affiliates of Elliott - Blake Capital and Potter Capital - called on South Korea's largest conglomerate to split its flagship Samsung Electronics into holding and operating companies for organizational and tax benefits and asked it to pay shareholders a special dividend of 30 trillion won (US$27 billion), among other steps.
"Elliott is not making excessive demands".
"Samsung Elect's rise seems to be the main driver for the Okapi's upward movement today while foreigners' stock trading volume overall remains low", added Mr Kim.
Samsung did not immediately comment on the report, and Qualcomm could not be immediately reached for comment.
Samsung said in a statement it is committed to creating "long-term, sustainable value" for all stakeholders and that it aims to maximise shareholder value.
Elliott's new challenge comes at a delicate time for the conglomerate, which is facing one of its biggest public crises in recent memory, after a global recall of its premium Galaxy Note 7 smartphone that threatens to tarnish the Samsung brand.
Last year, Elliot started a proxy fight in an attempt to upset Samsung's merger of is two affiliates, Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries, in which the investment firm narrowly lost.
Maria Sharapova back in April 2016 as ban reduced by CAS
The former world number one said she could not "accept" the "unfairly harsh" ban when it was announced in June. Cas concluded that "the panel has determined it does not agree with numerous conclusions of the ITF tribunal".
Elliott's complaints echo some of the arguments that the hedge fund made previous year in its opposition to a merger between the South Korean conglomerate's de facto holding company and Samsung C&T Corp., which holds a large stake in Samsung Electronics, the conglomerate's crown jewel.
USA hedge funds rarely target foreign companies for activist campaigns.
Blake and Potter: "We see this as a defining moment and a tremendous opportunity for the forthcoming new leadership of Samsung Electronics to further advance the company's remarkable legacy". Of Samsung Electronics' top 20 shareholders, a total of 11 are worldwide investors, according to Thomson Reuters data.
According to a person familiar with the matter, Elliott is seeking to speak with Samsung's leaders and board, and work with the company collaboratively to implement its proposed changes.
Samsung also confirmed last month that Lee Jae-yong, the only son of its ailing chairman, had been nominated to join the Samsung Electronics board of directors.
It also called for a more independent board, with more gender diversity and experience in global business, and proposed a special cash dividend of $27 billion to shareholders.
