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Elliott lays out its case in letter for management modification at Southwest Airlines

Elliott Investment Management is telling Southwest Airlines investors the business requires new outside leadership which it wants to engage to shape a better future however is likewise all set to press ahead with a prepared proxy fight.

In a letter to shareholders, seen , Elliott is dialing up the pressure on the airline by proposing a brand-new board-level committee that would perform an extensive organization review and drive transformational change.

The hedge fund said it is eager to consult with business representatives on Sept. 9 to go over ways to take on the business's immense obstacles. But Elliott also cautioned that if leaders can not recognize what is finest for Southwest and its stakeholders, it will push ahead with a board challenge.

Elliott has actually been pressing to refresh the board and oust leading executives to assist improve the carrier's efficiency.

The airline has actually been attempting to implement a turn-around strategy including adding seats with more leg room, moving to appointed seats and naming a new board member in July. Its stock cost, which has been under pressure, pared losses just recently.

A representative for Southwest was not instantly readily available for comment.

Earlier this month, Elliott laid out plans to choose 10 director candidates to Southwest's 15-person board, consisting of previous Virgin America CEO David Cush and Robert Milton, the former CEO of Air Canada.

In the letter, Elliott stated why it desires a lot of board seats. It does not want to be in charge however feels the board is purpose-built to serve the interests of CEO Robert Jordan and his predecessor and current executive chairman Gary Kelly. The hedge fund has actually promoted Jordan and Kelly to be replaced since its stake in the airline became public in June.

As a public company, Elliott composed, Southwest should be liable to investors and is not an absolute monarchy.

Elliott owns roughly 8% of Southwest's impressive shares, according to a current regulatory filing. Consisting of derivatives, the hedge fund has a financial interest of 11% in the provider.

Some investors share Elliott's frustration, the letter stated, keeping in mind that Artisan Partners openly called for leadership modification and urged the board to deal with Elliott. Other investors revealed issues privately to the hedge fund, it composed.

Elliott also indicated disappointment amongst Southwest pilots who have actually required strong management to fix business problems.

The airline needs to discover an extensive option, not just some carefully picked brand-new directors beholden to current management and a couple of long-overdue initiatives, the letter said.

While CEO Jordan recently composed that the fight with Elliott is a battle for the heart of our company, the hedge fund said it is a fight for Jordan and Kelly to continue to manage Southwest, on their terms, for as long as they wish.

Elliott has stated it is preparing to call an unique shareholder conference where investors would have a possibility to vote on directors.

(source: Reuters)