Seventeen companies announce increased dividends or distributions, including UNP (previously posted), Apache (previously posted), Dr Pepper Snapple, Fluor, KKR.
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So much for the Obama administration trying to narrow the gap between CEOs and worker bees. Today it is announced that Government Motors will pay their new CEO 60% more than her predecessor:
General Motors Co's Mary Barra, the auto industry's first female chief executive officer, will be paid $14.4 million in cash and stock this year, 60 percent more than her predecessor, the automaker disclosed on Monday.
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The Fiscal Times via Yahoo!News is reporting:
As the next Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) takes the gavel, his first priority will likely be to renew the more than 55 tax breaks or extenders that expired at the end of the year.
These provisions are essentially a grab bag of goodies for business and industry, as well as some for individual taxpayers. Last year, they cost taxpayers a whopping $74 billion--$63 billion of which solely benefited businesses, according to the Joint Committee on Taxation.
There are also the more obscure, smaller extenders like the tax break allowing filmmakers to deduct up to $15 million on movies produced mostly in the U.S. and another for building NASCAR racetracks.
What a great country -- tax breaks for building NASCAR racetracks. I like this guy already.
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Barnes and Noble will axe the Nook. On January 9, 2014, I offered three pieces of advice for Barnes and Noble:
- discontinue the Nook; partner with Apple (unfortunately they've already signed with the devil)
- convert to sales club model (Sam's or Costco's model): everyone pays $30 annual fee; card-entry required
- raise the bar significantly on the retail experience to "make" folks want to visit
Tax breaks for building NASCAR racetracks? Not! As much of a diehard NASCAR fan as I'm, keep big government away as far as possible. It would wreck the sport.
ReplyDeleteLeave it to the private sector like Duck Commander who will sponsor of the April 6th Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Big Government out of Washington DC would ruin the sport.
Agree completely (about DC ruining the sport).
DeleteIt was a very slow news day when I posted that; and the day does not look like it's getting any better. Smile.