Activist investor Nelson Peltz suffered a significant setback in his battle against Disney’s board as shareholders overwhelmingly rejected his proposal for board seats. The high-stakes proxy fight came to a head on Wednesday, with Disney shareholders voting by a “substantial margin” to maintain the current board composition, dealing a blow to Peltz and his firm Trian Fund Management.
Peltz’s campaign against Disney’s board had been brewing for months, with the investor criticizing the board’s performance and CEO Bob Iger’s leadership. Peltz argued that Disney had mishandled succession planning for Iger and failed to develop a profitable streaming strategy, among other issues. His proposed addition of Jay Rasulo, former Disney CFO, to the board was met with resistance from investors, ultimately leading to Peltz’s defeat.
Media Blitz and Celebrity Support
Both sides of the proxy fight engaged in a fierce media and advertising battle to sway shareholders. Disney reportedly spent close to $40 million on its advertising campaign, while Peltz allocated about $25 million to his media offensive. Peltz’s detailed plan, titled “Restore the Magic,” called for ambitious goals, including achieving “Netflix-like” streaming margins of 15% to 20%.
During the campaign, Iger garnered support from prominent figures in the business and entertainment world. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Star Wars creator George Lucas, and several of Walt Disney’s heirs publicly endorsed Iger, highlighting the divide between Peltz and his supporters. Notably, Elon Musk, a vocal critic of Iger, backed Peltz in the fight, promising to increase his Disney stock holdings if Peltz secured board seats.
Post-Vote Fallout
Following the resounding defeat, Iger expressed his eagerness to refocus on Disney’s key priorities of growth and value creation. In a statement, he stated, “With the distracting proxy contest now behind us, we’re eager to focus 100% of our attention on our most important priorities: growth and value creation for our shareholders and creative excellence for our consumers.”
Meanwhile, Peltz’s camp maintained that their efforts had successfully refocused Disney on value creation and good governance, despite the outcome of the vote. Disney’s stock experienced a 3% decline in the aftermath of the proxy fight, reflecting investor sentiment following the resolution.
Overall, the proxy battle between Nelson Peltz and Disney’s board showcased the intense competition and strategic maneuvering that can unfold in corporate governance disputes. While Peltz may have faced defeat in this round, the reverberations of the conflict are likely to have a lasting impact on Disney’s future decisions and direction.
Source: Fortune
