Pay-for-Performance: The SEC Comment Period is Over

Posted by Marc Hodak on July 6, 2015 under Executive compensation, Pay for performance | Be the First to Comment

 

Today was the last day of the comment period for the SEC’s proposed disclosure rules on pay-for-performance. My own submission offers a few relevant points:

1. There are two reasons why investors would care about pay-for-performance: (a) to judge compensation cost and (b) to judge alignment of interests between managers and owners.

2. The SEC proposal does injustice to the first reason, and completely ignores the second.

3. As a result, the proposed disclosure will create a potentially, grossly distorted view of pay-for-performance.

4. If the SEC wants good disclosure on this matter, its requirements must acknowledge the investors’ perspective with some significant changes (which I propose).

5. If they can’t or won’t make those changes (and they probably shouldn’t at this point), the SEC should revert to a principles-based disclosure, and let the market sort out whatever resonates with investors.

I consider this rule one of the most important that the SEC will devise this year. In the long run, pay-for-performance disclosure will have far more impact than the more controversial rules on CEO pay ratios and compensation clawbacks. If the disclosure rule ends up close to its current form, it could be just one more nail in the coffin of public companies.