– The remuneration of the management team is heavily dependent on their relative performance against demanding three-year TSR, earnings growth and return on capital employed targets. It is not enough for managers to deliver TSR, earnings growth or ROCE in isolation. To earn the maximum award they have to deliver all three and they have to outperform their peer group. Performance below the peer group median results in no award. The remuneration contract of BP’s executive directors ties as much as 70% of their earnings to these factors so they really do bear similar risks to the shareholders for whom they act. The contracts of all other senior managers are similarly structured to reflect both their own targets and the company’s results relative to its peers.
BP also recognizes the need to manage effectively its communications with journalists and the investment community. Peter’s team actively monitors the information that is currently available about BP within the investment community. Often analysts send drafts of their reports and models to the company for comment. The team reviews these to correct any factual errors but they do not comment on the broker’s recommendations. BP is also in regular contact with large institutional investors, such as Fidelity and Merrill Lynch Asset Management, who by virtue of the amount of their funds under management can make a significant difference to BP’s share price performance relative to its competitors within the industry.
This BP case study highlights an important truth about managing for shareholder value. It is not sufficient for companies merely to convey to investors messages about shareholder value. They must also back up those messages with a real implementation of practical measures and actions designed to create and deliver that value consistently.
Essential Vocabulary
1. rationale
2. cost of capital
– стоимость капитала3. debt capital
– заемный капитал4. value-based management
– менеджмент, основанный на ценности5. peer
6. underperformance
underperformer
underperform
7. tier
8. net present value (NPV)
– чистая приведенная ценность9. receipt(s)
10. surplus
11. discount rate
– ставка дисконтирования12. total shareholder return (TSR)
– суммарная доходность акционеров13. economic profit
– экономическая прибыль14. appreciation
appreciate
15. dividend yield
– дивидендная доходность16. deduction
deduct
deductible
17. investor relations
– отношения с инвесторами, работа с инвесторами18. fluctuation
fluctuate
19. peer group of companies
– группа равных (сопоставимых) компаний20. flat
21. outperformance
outperformer
outperform
22. investment community
– инвестиционное сообщество23. draft
draft
24. institutional investors
– институциональные инвесторыExercise 1. Answer the following questions.