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Monday, 10 August 2020
Recently trending A hard dose reality check on vaccinesAfter 30 years of investing, I prefer to skip this partyAustralian house prices: Part 2, the bigger picture How we have invested during COVID-19Australian house prices: Part 1, how worried should we be?
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Female representation on boards is increasing but still low, and they command fewer positions in small companies. Worse, of the 34 CEOs appointed to boards in the last year, only three were women.
Many of Australia's bank directors lack crucial skills in technology, operations and HR as part of a broader shortage of experience that is as important in dodging scandals as in business success.
APRA is pushing for executive remuneration to move to non-financial metrics, which will lead to poor outcomes for all stakeholders. Investors should resist and vote against such measures at AGMs.
Two of Australia's most experienced and successful chairs explain what makes a good board, what to watch for in bad ones, with advice for aspiring board members: understand first what motivates you.
Most companies recognise the benefits of employee diversity for better decision-making, but it's not only about choosing people from different backgrounds. There must be an effective means of aggregating views.
A reader responded with detailed comments on the need for board members and the Chair to have relevant expertise in the company's industry. Please join the debate.
Hostile takeover battles can produce heated disputes between company directors, managers and shareholders. What’s in the company’s long term interests and who decides? Does shareholder activism aid or hinder?
When assessing the quality of a business, all the statistics, ratios and reports in the world cannot give you an accurate view of the human element of its management.
The mandating of independent directors for Australian super funds is facing resistance. While it's difficult to define 'independence', global experts on board governance provide support for the government's stance.
With 160 programmes underway and billions of dollars spent on COVID-19 vaccines, investors are drawn to optimistic news. However, the company that has developed most new vaccines has a sober view.
Eventually, prices become so extreme they bear no relationship to reality, and a bubble forms. I believe we are there today, not for all stocks but for many in the technology space.
There is good reason to believe the negatives will continue to outweigh the positives over the next 12 to 18 months. There is more concern about house prices than the short-term indicators suggest.
With signs that the economic recession will not be as deep as first feared, many companies will emerge strongly with robust business models. Here are the sectors with the best opportunities.
Three key indicators are useful for predicting the short-term outlook for house prices, although tighter lockdowns make the outlook gloomier. There is enough doubt to create cause for concern.
It is better to miss a results bounce and buy after the company has delivered than it is to step on a landmine. With such uncertainty, avoid FOMO by following these result season investing tips.