Alcoa Reaches Deal With Elliott on Board Members
February 01 2016 - 10:30AM
Dow Jones News
Alcoa Inc. on Monday said it will add three directors to its
board, reaching a deal with activist Elliott Management Corp. in
which the hedge fund will support the aluminum company's slate of
directors up for election this year.
The company said it will name Ulrich "Rick" Schmidt, John Plant
and Sean Mahoney to serve on the board, effective Friday. The
additions expand the board to 15 members.
Alcoa said the trio will add aerospace and automotive experience
to the board as Alcoa prepares to split into two companies.
With the additions, Elliott, which owns roughly 7.5% of Alcoa
stock, has agreed to support the company's slate of nominees at its
2016 shareholder meeting.
Mr. Mahoney will be added to the class of directors whose term
expires in 2016, while Mr. Schmidt and Mr. Plant will be added to
the class of directors whose terms expire in 2017 and 2018,
respectively.
"As we prepare to separate into two strong companies, we have
been actively working to ensure each has a world-class board of
directors focused on creating shareholder value," said Alcoa Chief
Executive Klaus Kleinfeld, who noted the new directors will bring
"valuable skills highly relevant to the markets we serve, including
aerospace and automotive."
Dave Miller, senior portfolio manager at Elliott, said the hedge
fund believes Alcoa is taking the right steps.
Representatives of Elliott, a New York hedge fund founded by
Paul Singer, have been meeting with senior Alcoa executives,
including Mr. Kleinfeld. Elliott's determination that Alcoa is the
most undervalued of U.S. metals and mining companies drove the
hedge fund's initial investment in Alcoa, people familiar with the
matter have told The Wall Street Journal.
Prices for raw aluminum have fallen sharply since 2011, a
decline that Alcoa and Elliott believe masks the prosperity of the
company's aerospace and auto businesses. That decline also was
behind the aluminum company's announcement in late September that
it would spin off its more profitable and diverse parts-making
units. The deal is expected to close in the second half of the
year, with Alcoa shareholders owning all shares outstanding of both
companies.
Roy Harvey, currently executive vice president and president of
global primary products at Alcoa, will serve as chief executive of
the new upstream company, which will include the raw-metals
business and keep the Alcoa name.
Mr. Kleinfeld, meanwhile, will lead the so-called "value-add"
company as chairman and CEO. He will also serve as chairman of the
upstream company at the start.
Shares of Alcoa declined 1.4% in early trading to $7.19.
Write to Anne Steele at Anne.Steele@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 01, 2016 10:15 ET (15:15 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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