High-yield/macroeconomics (fka YIELD)

[Preciouslife1]

Great morning to you all!
Most companies unlikely to disclose executive pay goals.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2008-01-24-exec-pay_N.htm

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly 70% of companies polled either will not disclose executive performance goals or are unsure whether they will, a study released Thursday by the consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide showed.
The survey comes as companies prepare for the second year of reporting executive compensation under new rules from the Securities and Exchange Commission. The commission wants companies to explain more clearly how much executives are paid and what measures a company uses to decide on pay.

Watson Wyatt asked 135 large, publicly traded U.S. companies about their disclosure plans and found that just 42% plan to give what specific performance goals they used for the 2007 fiscal year.

The poll found that 31% of companies have no plans to spell out goals, while 27% are unsure what they will do.

It wasn't clear why the companies were hesitant to spell out goals, but the survey also found that a majority of companies feel the new rules will not improve company performance.

"They're in agony on this issue because they know the SEC wants it, and they think it will hurt their company and ultimately hurt their investors," said Ira Kay, Watson Wyatt's global director of executive compensation.

Under its rules, the SEC requires companies to disclose performance goals unless they can show that the disclosure will cause them to disclose competitive secrets in the process.

Watson Wyatt examined the proxies filed in 2007 by 100 large companies and found that 55 did disclose at least some information about performance goals.