Accentuating the caveat emptor perspective with critical commentary on financial disclosure. I adopt a skeptical persona and look for chinks in the teflon coating of financial disclosure. My job is to identify financial warts. Perhaps a Black Swan. Disclosure: I do not hold positions in stocks mentioned for three trading days before or after blog post.
Friday, January 13, 2006
IBM Twisting in the Wind
IBM reports that the SEC has stepped up their investigation of accounting and reporting irregularities regarding the expensing of stock options. Everyone who followed the stock knew that this is a possibility. The SEC usually needs to draw blood. IBM may throw them something just to get it over with. The question becomes what kind of sanctions will occur. Multi million dollar fines are chump change at big blue. Personally I vote for a hang em high scenario where individuals (senior officers and advisors that they hide behind) are severely sanctioned and restricted from holding positions of power and influence in any area’s dealing with the securities business and or investor relations/corporate finance for long periods of time. This will be the only way to deal with the arrogance of those who feel that they can get one by the marketplace.