Massey, or any CEO of a public company, should not put the shareholders first. The growth and stability and health of the business comes first. Shareholders lend the company money, and benefit from a growing, well run business. If, just for example, they went bankrupt, guess who gets paid last? And its usually nothing as others, legally, soak up the assets first. Right, shareholders get paid last. In running the business, he really shouldn't be thinking of PPS, but of what is good for the business. They are not always the same.