UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.
20549
SCHEDULE 14A
(Rule 14a-101)
SCHEDULE 14A
INFORMATION
Proxy Statement
Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934
Filed
by the Registrant ¨ Filed by a Party other than the
Registrant x
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the appropriate box:
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Preliminary Proxy
Statement |
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Confidential, for Use of
the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
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Definitive Proxy Statement |
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Definitive Additional Materials |
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Soliciting material Pursuant
to §240.14a-12 |
Masimo Corporation
(Name of Registrant
as Specified In Its Charter)
POLITAN CAPITAL
MANAGEMENT LP
POLITAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GP LLC
POLITAN CAPITAL PARTNERS GP LLC
POLITAN CAPITAL NY LLC
POLITAN INTERMEDIATE LTD.
POLITAN CAPITAL PARTNERS MASTER FUND LP
POLITAN CAPITAL PARTNERS LP
POLITAN CAPITAL OFFSHORE PARTNERS LP
QUENTIN KOFFEY
MATTHEW HALL
AARON KAPITO
WILLIAM JELLISON
DARLENE SOLOMON
(Name of Person(s) Filing
Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate
box):
x No fee required.
¨ Fee paid previously with preliminary
materials.
¨ Fee computed on table in exhibit required
by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
On September 12,
2024, Politan Capital Management LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Politan”) updated its website, www.AdvanceMasimo.com
(the “Site”), in connection with the solicitation of stockholders of Masimo Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Masimo”).
Copies of the materials posted to the Site are filed herewith.
| CONFIDENTIAL
SUPPLEMENTAL DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
MASIMO CORPORATION,
Plaintiff,
vs.
POLITAN CAPITAL
MANAGEMENT LP, POLITAN
CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GP LLC,
POLITAN CAPITAL PARTNERS GP
LLC, POLITAN CAPITAL NY LLC,
POLITAN INTERMEDIATE LTD.,
POLITAN CAPITAL PARTNERS
MASTER FUND LP, POLITAN
CAPITAL PARTNERS LP, POLITAN
CAPITAL OFFSHORE PARTNERS
LP, QUENTIN KOFFEY, MICHELLE
BRENNAN, MATTHEW HALL,
AARON KAPITO, WILLIAM
JELLISON, DARLENE SOLOMON,
Defendants.
Case No. 8:24-CV-1568
SUPPLEMENTAL DECLARATION OF
NAJEEB ALI
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 165 Filed 09/06/24 Page 1 of 3 Page ID
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| CONFIDENTIAL
SUPPLEMENTAL DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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I, Najeeb Ali, declare as follows:
1. I am a Partner at Centerview Partners LLC (“Centerview”).
2. I make this declaration based on my personal knowledge and to supplement and
clarify my declaration of August 19, 2024 (“August 19 Declaration”). This supplemental
declaration incorporates by reference my August 19 Declaration and, unless otherwise noted, uses
the same defined terms therein.
3. As stated in my August 19 Declaration, Centerview was engaged to advise the
Special Committee on exploring a potential related-party transaction involving Joe Kiani and a
separation of Masimo’s Consumer Products Business. As an independent financial advisor to the
Special Committee, Centerview did not work for Kiani or Quentin Koffey in their individual
capacities and made that fact clear to both Kiani and Koffey and/or their representatives.
4. During the course of our engagement, Centerview and S&C met with Koffey, in his
capacity as Chair of the Special Committee, prior to meetings with the entire Special Committee
and without other members of the Special Committee present. In my experience, it is not unusual
for the Chair of a special committee to have pre-meeting discussions with independent advisors
and without other members of the committee present. Centerview considered these pre-meeting
discussions with Koffey, as Chair of the Special Committee, to be standard practice.
5. As part of our engagement, Centerview also discussed with the Special Committee
whether it would be in the interest of Masimo’s stockholders to announce publicly a potential
separation of the Consumer Products Business in advance of finalizing all the terms of such a
transaction. After considering the pros and cons of a public announcement, the Special Committee
determined that it would be in the interest of stockholders to make a public announcement first
and leave certain specific issues to be negotiated and determined at a later time. One reason cited
by the Special Committee for this strategy was that a public announcement might persuade Kiani
to reconsider some of the transaction terms he proposed and move the parties closer to mutually
agreeable terms.
6. These discussions occurred prior to the March 11, 2024 meeting where the Special
Committee unanimously determined that the draft term sheet presented by S&C and Centerview at
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SUPPLEMENTAL DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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the meeting (i.e., the March 11 Term Sheet) should be presented to Kiani in order to kickoff
negotiations. Centerview believed that the transaction framework and terms contained in the
March 11 Term Sheet would create two viable and independent entities (NewCo and RemainCo)
in a spinoff transaction, though the March 11 Term Sheet left certain specific issues to be
negotiated and determined at a later time.
7. As stated in Paragraph 11 of my August 19 Declaration, the Special Committee
asked Centerview at meetings on March 8, 2024 and March 11, 2024, whether assigning
ownership or licensing of the Company’s intellectual property to NewCo, as described in the term
sheet Kiani sent to Koffey, would risk creating a valuation overhang on the Company. Centerview
advised the Special Committee that we believed such an assignment would create a negative
valuation overhang. Accordingly, if a separation were to proceed on such terms, it would (all else
being equal) decrease shareholder value for Masimo’s stockholders. Centerview advised the
Special Committee that it was imperative that the Committee, with the assistance of independent
IP advisors and any other experts or consultants the Committee deemed necessary or advisable,
carefully oversee any assignments or licenses granted to NewCo.
I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on August 30, 2024 in New York, New York.
Najeeb Ali
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 165 Filed 09/06/24 Page 3 of 3 Page ID
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| DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
MASIMO CORPORATION,
Plaintiff,
vs.
POLITAN CAPITAL
MANAGEMENT LP, POLITAN
CAPITAL MANAGEMENT GP LLC,
POLITAN CAPITAL PARTNERS GP
LLC, POLITAN CAPITAL NY LLC,
POLITAN INTERMEDIATE LTD.,
POLITAN CAPITAL PARTNERS
MASTER FUND LP, POLITAN
CAPITAL PARTNERS LP, POLITAN
CAPITAL OFFSHORE PARTNERS
LP, QUENTIN KOFFEY, MICHELLE
BRENNAN, MATTHEW HALL,
AARON KAPITO, WILLIAM
JELLISON, DARLENE SOLOMON,
Defendants.
Case No. 8:24-CV-1568
DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
CONFIDENTIAL
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 164 Filed 09/06/24 Page 1 of 8 Page ID
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| DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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I, Najeeb Ali, declare as follows:
1.
2. I make this declaration based on my personal knowledge.
3.
a potential engagement of Centerview to advise a special committee of the Board of Directors
4. On February 7, 2024, Centerview met with members of the Special Committee and
made a presentation to the committee in connection with a potential engagement of Centerview to
advise the Special Committee on exploring the possibility of separating the Consumer Products
Business.
5. On February 10, 2024, the Special Committee notified Centerview that it had been
selected as financial advisor to the committee on evaluating a potential separation of the Consumer
Products Business. Centerview and the Special Committee executed an Engagement Letter on
March 6, 2024.
6.
received and reviewed two preliminary term sheets: one that had been sent from Koffey to Kiani
and another that was a markup that had been sent from Kiani back to Koffey. (Attached hereto as
Exhibits A and B are true and correct copies of the preliminary term sheets that Centerview
received.) No term sheet was signed nor was there any other indication that any term sheet had
been agreed to. Notwithstanding these documents or any prior discussions between the two (in
which Centerview had no involvement), Centerview believed it was imperative that it conduct an
independent analysis of whether it would be in the best interest of Masimo and its stockholders to
separate the Consumer Products Business, and if so, on what terms. Accordingly, although these
preliminary term sheet documents provided some helpful background information and indication
CONFIDENTIAL
I am a Partner at Centerview Partners LLC ("Centerview").
On or around February 5, 2024, Quentin Koffey ("Koffey") contacted me regarding
("Special Committee") ofMasimo Corporation ("Masimo" or the "Company") on exploring a
potential related-party transaction involving Joe Kiani ("Kiani"), the Founder, CEO and Chairman
ofMasimo, and a separation of the Company's consumer health products and Consumer Audio
Sound United business (together, the "Consumer Products Business").
At the outset of Centerview's engagement (on February 10, 2024), Centerview
of the parties' negotiating postures, they were not binding on the parties.
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DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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7.
February 13, 2024. The Centerview partners responsible for the engagement were Alan Hartman
meeting. The Special Committee members in attendance were Michelle Brennan, Rolf Classon,
advisors, were also present. Centerview also made clear at the February 13 kickoff meeting that,
due to the related-party nature of the potential transaction, all negotiations must be conducted at
8. Between February 10 and March 14, 2024, Centerview conducted its independent
analysis of the benefits and issues involved in a potential separation of the Consumer Products
Business, including the business rationale for a spinoff and the potential terms of a transaction that
Officer, and other members of the management team. Centerview also met with the Special
Committee on multiple occasions to apprise the committee of our ongoing work and analyses.
9.
by Masimo, and discussions with management and the Special Committee), Centerview advised
the Special Committee that a spinoff of NewCo could make sense from a financial point of view
so long as the separation did not adversely impact the valuation of RemainCo. Centerview
provided examples of harms and stressed that the improper allocation of IP rights and licenses
from RemainCo to NewCo could create a significant valuation overhang on RemainCo that would
supported this view. Centerview and S&C then proceeded to analyze the potential economics and
structure of such a transaction. S&C compiled a draft term sheet with input from Centerview.
CONFIDENTIAL
Centerview's first meeting with the Special Committee post-engagement was on
("Hartman"), myself, Jason Zuckerbrod and Rak:esh Mehta, and all four of us attended this
Koffey and Craig Reynolds. Sullivan & Cromwell ("S&C"), the Special Committee's legal
arms' length. Centerview also advised that the Special Committee should focus on what each
member felt was in stockholders' best interests, without regard to the prior proposed term sheets.
The Special Committee understood the reason for Centerview's approach.
would create a spinoff entity ("NewCo") and an entity containing the non-spinoff assets
("RemainCo"). As part of the process, Centerview had multiple discussions with the Company,
including a February 21, 2024 meeting with Micah Young ("Young"), Masimo's Chief Financial
Based on Centerview's independent analysis (which reflected information provided
render the separation not in stockholders' best interests. The Special Committee unanimously
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DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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10. On March 8, 2024, Centerview and S&C met with the Special Committee to
preview a draft term sheet. The Special Committee provided comments and feedback to the
advisors. Then, on March 11, 2024, Centerview and S&C met with the Special Committee again
to discuss a revised draft term sheet. The revised draft term sheet was a Letter of Intent that
summarized certain proposed material terms and alignments between Masimo (under the direction
comments and feedback provided by the Special Committee from the March 8 meeting.
11. At the meetings, the Special Committee asked Centerview whether assigning
detailed in the term sheet Kiani had returned to Koffey, would risk creating a valuation overhang
on the Company. Centerview advised that we believed such an assignment or licensing would
cause a valuation overhang and that it was imperative that the Special Committee, with the
assistance of independent IP advisors, carefully oversee what assignments or licenses were
granted.
12. During the March 11 meeting, the Special Committee also directed Centerview to
contact Bob Chapek (an independent member of the Masimo Board of Directors who was not a
member of the Special Committee). I contacted Chapek on the same day to schedule a call to
update him on the work and findings of the Special Committee to date. On March 13, 2024,
Centerview and S&C had a call with Chapek.
13. At the March 11, 2024 meeting, the Special Committee unanimously determined
that the March 11 Term Sheet should be presented to Kiani in order to kickoff negotiations.
14. At the time Centerview and S&C presented the March 11 Term Sheet to the Special
Committee, Centerview believed that the transaction framework and terms contained therein
would create two viable and independent entities (NewCo and RemainCo). While the March 11
Term Sheet provided the framework for a sound and viable spinoff transaction, it left certain
specific issues to be negotiated and determined at a later time.
15. For example, the March 11 Term Sheet provided that NewCo should be funded
with sufficient cash to ensure adequate liquidity at closing and for an agreed-upon period of time
CONFIDENTIAL
of the Special Committee) and Kiani (the "March 11 Term Sheet"), and also reflected the
ownership of, or licensing, the Company's intellectual property to the spun-off entity, as had been
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DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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thereafter. The amount of cash allocated to NewCo would be determined at a later time because
the amount and types of assets allocated to NewCo would affect the amount of cash needed to
cash burn post-closing, and additional cash would need to be allocated to NewCo to ensure it had
adequate liquidity at closing and thereafter. We understood that Kiani was requesting a mix of
corporate assets that would create an unusually large corporate overhead burden for the size of
NewCo and therefore advised the Special Committee that further analysis was required to
would directly inform what amount of cash was required to ensure adequate liquidity.
16.
allocated between NewCo and RemainCo, and how such an allocation could be achieved from a
legal perspective. This was a complex issue and would require additional time as well as legal and
subject matter expertise. Accordingly, the March 11 Term Sheet did not provide for a specific
allocation of assets and liabilities between NewCo and RemainCo. Rather, the term sheet
provided that shortly after its execution and a public announcement of the transaction, the Special
Committee would oversee and determine the appropriate allocation of assets and liabilities
between NewCo and RemainCo. The March 11 Term Sheet outlined a process framework for this
determination by providing that Masimo shall hire an external consultant with relevant technical
expertise (and any other external consultants or experts as the Special Committee deems necessary
intellectual property rights between NewCo and RemainCo. We advised the Special Committee
that it was imperative that this process regarding the allocation of intellectual property be overseen
by the Special Committee and not by management.
17. I understand that on March 11, S&C provided the draft March 11 Term Sheet to
party transaction. I further understand that prior to sending the term sheet, Koffey spoke with
Kiani and informed him that the Special Committee and its advisors had put together the March 11
CONFIDENTIAL
ensure NewCo's liquidity at closing and thereafter. To illustrate, if the Company's corporate
headquarters and aircraft were allocated to NewCo, that would significantly increase NewCo's
determine the correct corporate overhead for NewCo-a determination that, as described above,
Another open issue was how the Company's intellectual property would be
or advisable) to advise the Special Committee on the appropriate allocation ofMasimo's
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP ("Skadden"), Kiani's legal counsel in this related-Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 164 Filed 09/06/24 Page 5 of 8 Page ID
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DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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Term Sheet, which Kiani asked to see promptly. I also understand that prior to sending the
Skadden know that Kiani was expecting to review the term sheet promptly. I further understand
that Skadden informed S&C that they would promptly share the term sheet with Kiani. I
understand that Skadden later informed S&C that it had no involvement in negotiating the term
sheet and asked S&C and Centerview to speak directly with Kiani.
18. On March 12, 2024, Tom McClenahan (General Counsel of Masimo) and Young
contacted Centerview to discuss the March 11 Term Sheet. Centerview offered to speak directly
with Kiani, but he declined.
19. On March 13, Hartman and I spoke with McClenahan and Young. During this call,
McClenahan asserted that Kiani and Koffey had previously agreed to terms that were substantially
different from the March 11 Term Sheet.
20. Centerview explained that we were engaged as independent financial advisors to
the Special Committee and did not work for Kiani or Koffey in their individual capacities.
Centerview also explained that we had no involvement in any prior discussions between Kiani and
Koffey with respect to the proposed transaction and therefore had no knowledge as to what was
agreed upon or not. Further, Centerview explained that the March 11 Term Sheet reflected the
like for a potential spinoff of the Consumer Products Business. We discussed the March 11 Term
Sheet with McClenahan and Young and explained the rationale behind its framework and terms.
21. A few hours later, on the evening of March 13, I understand that McClenahan
called Hartman. I understand that McClenahan once again asserted that there had been an
agreement between Kiani and Koffey that was different from the March 11 Term Sheet. I
the earlier purported agreement, then there would be no need for further discussions and no reason
for the Special Committee to exist.
22. On March 14, Centerview met with the Special Committee to report on the
substance of the conversations between Centerview, and McClenahan and Young.
CONFIDENTIAL
March 11 Term Sheet, S&C gave Skadden a "heads up" to preview the term sheet and to let
Special Committee's independent evaluation of what a sound and viable framework would look
understand that McClenahan further stated that Kiani's view was that if the terms did not revert to
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DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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23. Centerview had additional meetings with the Special Committee on March 18,
March 19 and March 21, 2024. At either the March 18 or March 19 meeting, the Special
Committee informed Centerview that Kiani stated he was no longer interested in pursuing a
related-party transaction involving a spinoff of the Consumer Products Business, and therefore,
there was no reason for the Special Committee to exist.
24. On March 22, 2024, Koffey called Centerview to advise us that the Masimo Board
of Directors would be announcing a separation of the Consumer Products Business shortly.
authorized management to explore a proposed spinoff of its Consumer Products Business, and that
Kiani is expected to remain Chairman and CEO of Masimo and to be named Chairman of the
newly created company. Centerview had no involvement in the generation of this press release.
Koffey also advised us that the Special Committee was being placed on hold and we should go
25. On March 25, 2024, I saw a Wall Street Journal article reporting that the Company
was engaged in discussions with a third party regarding a joint venture of its Consumer Business.
Centerview had no knowledge of this joint venture process prior to the WSJ article.
26. On April 30, 2024, Young informed me via email (with McClenahan copied) that
the Special Committee had been dissolved on that day and that he expected no further retainer fees
to be paid to Centerview.
27. On May 16, 2024, Koffey emailed us and S&C stating that the Company Board had
asked him to get a proposed timeline and cost estimate for determining the correct perimeter of IP
should Masimo decide to sell its Consumer Products Business.
28. On May 17, 2024, we participated in a Zoom meeting with Koffey and S&C, where
we reiterated our views on the significance of properly allocating IP. Our understanding was that,
following that Zoom meeting, S&C would prepare some thoughts for Koffey on an appropriate IP
separation process, which Koffey would share with the Company Board.
CONFIDENTIAL
Centerview then read the Company press release, which announced that Masimo's Board had
"pencils down". After this call, we had no further meetings with the Special Committee.
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DECLARATION OF NAJEEB ALI
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I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on August 19, 2024 in New York, New York.
Najeeb Ali
CONFIDENTIAL
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-1-
DECLARATION OF DAVID F. LARCKER
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN DIVISION
MASIMO CORPORATION,
Plaintiff,
vs.
POLITAN CAPITAL
MANAGEMENT LP et al.
Defendants.
Case No. 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE
DECLARATION OF DAVID F.
LARCKER IN SUPPORT OF
DEFENDANTS’ OPPOSITION
TO PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR
PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION
Judge: Hon. James V. Selna
Crtrm.: 10C
DECLARATION OF DAVID F. LARCKER
I, David F. Larcker, hereby declare:
1. I am the James Irvin Miller Professor of Accounting at the Graduate
School of Business at Stanford University (Emeritus).
2. I serve as the co-director of the Corporate Governance Research
Initiative at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, which provides
research and insights on a broad range of issues facing corporations and boards of
directors, including executive compensation, board governance, Chief Executive
Officer succession, and proxy voting.
3. I am also a senior faculty member at the Rock Center for Corporate
Governance, a joint initiative of Stanford Law School and Stanford Graduate School
of Business that was created to advance understanding and practice of corporate
governance. I am also a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, and
co-director of the Hoover Corporate Governance Working Group
4. I have been retained as an expert in this case by counsel for Defendants
to provide expert opinions on a number of corporate-governance-related topics I
understand are at issue in this case generally, and in Masimo’s Motion for Preliminary
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142 Filed 08/31/24 Page 1 of 2 Page ID
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| 1 Injunction specifically, including best practices concerning: (a) the frequency and
2 duration of meetings of a public company's board of directors; (b) the on boarding of
3 new directors; ( c) information flow to directors; ( d) budget planning and review; and
4 ( e) board review of special situations, including material corporate transactions,
5 related party transactions, regulatory investigations, and material litigation.
6 5. In my view, as set forth in further detail in my expert report and
7 declaration, Masimo materially deviated from established standards of good corporate
8 governance.
9 6. A true and correct copy of my expert report and declaration, dated
10 August 30, 2024, is attached as Exhibit 1.
11
12 I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of
13 America that the foregoing is true and correct.
14 Executed on this 30th day of August, 2024, at Hotchkiss, Colorado.
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David F. Larcker
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DECLARATION OF DAVID F. LARCKER
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142 Filed 08/31/24 Page 2 of 2 Page ID
#:8748 |
| REDACTED VERSION OF DOCUMENT SOUGHT TO BE SEALED
EXHIBIT 1
REDACTED VERSION OF DOCUMENT
SOUGHT TO BE SEALED
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142-1 Filed 08/31/24 Page 1 of 47 Page
ID #:8749 |
| 1
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
MASIMO CORPORATION,
Plaintiff,
v.
POLITAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT,
LP, POLITAN CAPITAL
MANAGEMENT GP LLC, POLITAN
CAPITAL PARTNERS GP LLC,
POLITAN CAPITAL NY LLC, POLITAN
INTERMEDIATE LTD., POLITAN
CAPITAL PARTNERS MASTER FUND
LP, POLITAN CAPITAL PARTNERS
LP, POLITAN CAPITAL OFFSHORE
PARTNERS LP, QUENTIN KOFFEY,
MICHELLE BRENNAN, MATTHEW
HALL, AARON KAPITO,
Defendant(s).
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
Case No. 8:24-cv-01568
EXPERT REPORT AND DECLARATION OF
DAVID F. LARCKER
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142-1 Filed 08/31/24 Page 2 of 47 Page
ID #:8750 |
| 2
Credentials
1. I, David F. Larcker, am the James Irvin Miller Professor of
Accounting at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University (Emeritus).
A copy of my curriculum vitae is attached as Appendix A. I serve as the co-director of the Corporate Governance Research Initiative at the Graduate School of
Business at Stanford University, which provides research and insights on a broad
range of issues facing corporations and boards of directors, including executive
compensation, board governance, CEO succession, and proxy voting.
2. I am also a senior faculty member at the Rock Center for Corporate
Governance, a joint initiative of Stanford Law School and Stanford Graduate
School of Business that was created to advance understanding and practice of
corporate governance. I am also a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover
Institution, and co-director of the Hoover Corporate Governance Working Group. I
previously served as co-director of the Directors’ Consortium executive education
program for over ten years.
3. In 2012, I was named to the National Association of Corporate
Directors Directorship 100 as one of the most influential people in the boardroom
and corporate governance community.
4. Prior to joining the faculty at Stanford in 2005, I was the Ernst &
Young Professor of Accounting at The Wharton School of the University of
Pennsylvania, a position I held for twenty years. Previously, I served as a
Professor of Accounting and Information Systems at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate
School of Management at Northwestern University.
5. I received undergraduate and master’s degrees in engineering from the
University of Missouri – Rolla, and a doctorate in business from the University of
Kansas.
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6. I have published peer-reviewed and professional research on a range
of subjects relating to fiduciary duties of directors and corporate governance. That
research has been published in numerous top peer-reviewed journals and a wide
range of professional publications. I have also published a top book on corporate
governance, Corporate Governance Matters: A Closer Look at Organizational
Choices and Their Consequences, which is now in its third edition.
7. I am a trustee of Allspring Global Investments and have served on the
board of directors for various private companies, including American Crystal
Technologies Inc., CFI Group, and the Stucker Mesa Domestic Water Company.
8. Based on my personal experience, consulting with boards, teaching,
research, and scholarly publications, I consider myself an expert in corporate
governance and executive compensation. My opinions below are informed by my
decades as an academic, a scholar, and real-world experience as a director of both
public and private corporations.
9. I have submitted declarations and expert reports, as well as testified,
on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants in litigation filed in both federal and state
court. A sample of the cases in which I was engaged as an expert witness is
attached as Appendix B.
10. In reaching my conclusions regarding this action, I reviewed various
public filings by Masimo Corporation (“Masimo” or the “Company”), documents
produced in this litigation and provided to me by counsel for Defendants, and data,
media articles and academic studies as described more fully in the footnotes and
Appendix C.
11. I am being compensated by Politan Capital Management LP
(“Politan”) at my customary rate of $1,500 per hour. My work on this Declaration
has been supported by personnel working under my direction at a rate of $250 per
hour. I personally supervised these personnel.
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12. My compensation is not contingent on any conclusions proffered or
any outcome of this litigation.
13. I reserve the right to amend or modify this Declaration in light of
additional facts that are brought to my attention.
Assignment
14. I have been engaged by Politan’s counsel to provide my views and
opinions on a number of corporate-governance-related topics I understand are at
issue in the litigation generally, and in Masimo’s motion for preliminary injunction
specifically, including best practices concerning:
a. The frequency and duration of meetings of a public company’s
board of directors;
b. The onboarding of new directors;
c. Information flow to directors;
d. Budget planning and review; and
e. Board review of special situations, including material corporate
transactions, related party transactions, regulatory
investigations, and material litigation.
Background on Masimo’s Board
15. Masimo’s Board currently consists of five directors: (i) Joe Kiani,
Masimo’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, (ii) Craig Reynolds, the Lead
Independent Director, (iii) Robert Chapek, (iv) Michelle Brennan, and (v) Quentin
Koffey.
16. Masimo’s Board is small relative to other publicly traded
corporations. For comparison, the average S&P 500 company board had an
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average of 10.8 members in 2023, more than double the size of Masimo’s Board.1
This raises a question, for me, as to whether five directors can adequately oversee a
business of Masimo’s size and complexity.
17. Listing exchanges require the boards of publicly traded companies to
have three committees for audit, compensation, and nominating and governance,
composed entirely of independent directors.2
In addition to these committees, it is
common for companies to have additional subcommittees to address specific areas
that are important to the company and its industry, such as technology, science,
regulatory, or public affairs.3
18. Masimo’s Board has three committees—audit, compensation, and
nominating, compliance, and corporate governance—with three members on each
committee. Masimo’s three committees are technically compliant with listing
requirements.
19. However, Mr. Reynolds, the Lead Independent Director, also serves as
the chair of all three committees. In my experience, it is highly unusual for the
same individual to serve as the chairperson of all three committees, because the
workload of these committees is substantial, and each generally requires unique
domain expertise. I am not aware of any other public company in which the lead
director simultaneously serves as chair of all of the Board’s committees.4
Indeed,
1
Spencer Stuart, U.S. Board Index 2023, available at: https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/us-board-index. 2
NASDAQ, “Continued Listing Guide,” (January 2024), available at:
https://listingcenter.nasdaq.com/assets/continuedguide.pdf. 3
Spencer Stuart, U.S. Board Index 2023, available at: https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/us-board-index. 4
David F. Larcker, Brian Tayan, and Christina Zhu, “A Meeting of the Minds: How Do Companies
Distribute Knowledge and Workload Across Board Committees?, Stanford Closer Look Series (December
8, 2014), available at: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/meeting-minds-how-do-companies-distribute-knowledge-workload-across. See also Eileen Morgan Johnson, “The Basics of
Board Committee Structure,” The Center for Association Leadership (ASAE), (April 29, 2020), available
at: https://www.asaecenter.org/resources/articles/an_plus/2015/december/the-basics-of-board-committee-structure.
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to be effective (and to avoid burnout), board members generally do not serve on
more than two committees.5
20. Mr. Chapek also serves on all three committees, meaning that a
majority of each committee is comprised of directors who I understand align with
Mr. Kiani.6
I. Board Meeting Frequency and Duration
21. The board of directors of a Delaware corporation, like Masimo, is
generally responsible for managing the business and affairs of the corporation.7
A
well-functioning board takes on numerous roles, reviewing and approving strategy
in coordination with the company’s management, monitoring risks, planning for
executive succession, and weighing in on the talent pipeline.8
22. To fulfill its responsibilities, the board of a publicly traded corporation
typically meets in person seven (7) to eight (8) times a year.9
Additional
telephonic or video-conference meetings are convened as needed.10 For example,
in times of crisis or when considering potentially transformative business decisions
or transactions, the frequency and/or duration of board meetings typically increase
substantially. If a board is considering a material transaction, confronting periods
5
Eileen Morgan Johnson, “The Basics of Board Committee Structure,” The Center for Association
Leadership (ASAE), (April 29, 2020), available at:
https://www.asaecenter.org/resources/articles/an_plus/2015/december/the-basics-of-board-committee-structure.
6
Specifically, each committee has three members, two of which are Messrs. Reynolds and Chapek. As
Glass Lewis noted in its Proxy Paper, “existing incumbents not nominated by Politan are, at this point and
based on Masimo’s rather checkered governance track record, expected to vote in lockstep with Mr.
Kiani.” Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC, Proxy Paper, Masimo Corp., at 19.
7
8 Del. C. § 141(a).
8
Christian Casal and Christian Caspar, “Building a forward-looking board,” McKinsey
Quarterly (February 1, 2014), available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/building-a-forward-looking-board#/. 9
Spencer Stuart, U.S. Board Index 2023, available at: https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/us-board-index. 10 National Association of Corporate Directors, “2017–2018 NACD Public Company Governance
Survey” (Washington, D.C.: National Association of Corporate Directors, 2018).
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of significant underperformance in its business, or responding to government
investigations and/or significant litigation, the board, out of necessity, will meet
more often.11
23. In fact, a 2014 report on “forward-looking” boards noted that, given
the importance of directors’ responsibilities, several well-performing boards
“prescribe a commitment of up to 25 days of engagement for nonexecutive board
members.”12
24. A board’s in-person meetings commonly are scheduled over a period
of two days, with a dinner in between that allows directors an opportunity to meet
and interact with members of the company’s management, including non-C-suite
managers, in a less formal setting.13 All told, a typical meeting or set of meetings
can run for seven (7) hours or more, depending on the issues the board is
addressing.
25. In addition to full board meetings, board committees also meet
numerous times per year—an average of 8.2 times per year for audit committees,
5.8 times per year for compensation committees, and 4.6 times per year for
nominating and corporate governance committees.14
11 Deloitte, Global Center for Corporate Governance, “On the Board’s Agenda: Crisis Management,”
(September 2019), available at:
https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/uk/Documents/risk/deloitte-uk-risk-global-on-the-boards-agenda-crisis-management.pdf
12 Christian Casal and Christian Caspar, “Building a forward-looking board,” McKinsey
Quarterly (February 1, 2014), available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/building-a-forward-looking-board#/. 13 Nick Barnett, “What an Effective Board Dinner Looks Like,” Board Benchmarking (December 2,
2022), available at: https://boardbenchmarking.com/blog/improve-director-relationships-with-board-dinners/. 14 Spencer Stuart, U.S. Board Index 2023, available at: https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/us-board-index.
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26. Typically, boards gather outside the confines of regularly scheduled
board meetings and conduct a day long or multi-day strategy session focused on
long-term planning.
27. Masimo’s Board has run counter to the above-mentioned
commonalities.
28. As reflected in the table below, Masimo’s Board held only two in-person meetings (and nine virtual meetings) from July 12, 2023, to July 15, 2024.
29. In my experience, the extensive use of virtual, rather than in-person,
meetings is questionable, as remote board meetings may not provide the best
setting for dialogue, information sharing, and professional debate.
Board and Committee Meetings (July 12, 2023 to July 15, 2024)15
Date Time Duration
July 12, 2023 10:00 a.m. – 11:22 a.m. 1 hour 22 minutes
August 1, 2023 8:00 a.m. – 11:37 a.m. 3 hours 37 minutes
October 31, 2023 8:30 a.m. – 12:08 p.m. 3 hours 38 minutes
January 5, 2024 9:00 a.m. – 10:13 a.m. 1 hour 13 minutes
Feb 13, 2024 8:30 a.m. – 1:32 p.m. 5 hours 2 minutes
Feb 26, 2024 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. 1 hour 30 minutes
Feb 27, 2024 4:00 p.m. – 5:33 p.m. 1 hour 33 minutes
March 22, 2024 10:00 a.m. – 11:26 a.m. 1 hour 26 minutes
April 30, 2024 9:00 a.m. – 11:27 a.m. 2 hours 27 minutes
15 Bold denotes in-person Board meetings.
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May 16, 2024 Scheduled
12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
No minutes (to
indicate actual length
of meeting)
July 15, 2024 1:30 p.m. – 1:42 p.m. 12 minutes
30. Moreover, as noted in the table above, from July 12, 2023 to July 15,
2024, six meetings of the full Board had a duration of less than two hours.
31. Given the wide range of issues facing even a typical public company’s
board, and the complexity of those issues, I believe that such short meetings may
be insufficient for a board to adequately review all pertinent information and freely
deliberate on key board decisions.
32. The short length of Masimo’s Board meetings, in particular, is
problematic considering the critical issues the company has faced over the last
year, which I understand include, at a minimum: (i) an unprecedented decline in
the Company’s revenues that led to an approximate 50% decline in the Company’s
share price, (ii) a process to sell the whole company, (iii) a potential spin-off of
Masimo’s consumer audio business, (iv) a potential joint venture transaction, (v)
receipt of a subpoena from the United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”),
16 (vi)
receipt of a civil investigative demand from the DOJ,
17 (vii) receipt of a subpoena
from the United States Securities & Exchange Commission (“SEC”),
18 and (viii)
stockholder litigation.
33. Furthermore, I understand that the Board both delayed Masimo’s 2024
annual meeting of stockholders, and decided to commence this action against two
of its own directors, in just one meeting that lasted a mere 12 minutes. It is
difficult to believe that the Board could have adequately considered, debated, and
16 See Masimo Corp., Quarterly Report (Form 10-Q) (May 7, 2024).
17 Id.
18 Id.
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decided such significant issues in just 12 minutes, raising serious questions about
whether Masimo’s directors who participated in those decisions were acting in a
manner consistent with their duties as directors.
II. Director Onboarding
34. In fulfilling their responsibilities, directors of a Delaware corporation,
like Masimo, are charged with a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its
shareholders.
19 In particular, directors owe a duty of care, which requires them to
inform themselves “prior to making a business decision, of all material information
reasonably available to them.”20
35. Considering their duty of care, and the range and complexity of issues
a public company director faces, a new director joining the board has a steep
learning curve. Therefore, it is critically important to bring a new director “up to
speed” quickly so they can contribute to board discussion in a meaningful manner
and be fully informed in carrying out their fiduciary duties.
36. Director onboarding typically occurs within the first 30 days of a
director joining a board and is led by the board’s chairperson.21
37. The first step is a “day or two of meetings with the management team
and a full library of reading materials.”22 With respect to the latter, the new
director should be provided with pre-read materials well in advance of the first
board meeting, consisting of governing and other background documents, such as:
(i) the prior 12 months’ board materials and minutes; (ii) strategic plans; (iii)
financial reports, including the annual report, budgets and projections; (iv) capital
19 Guth v. Loft, 5 A.2d 503, 510 (Del. 1939).
20 Smith v. Van Gorkom, 488 A.2d 858, 872 (Del. 1985).
21 Stanislav Shekshnia, “How to Be a Good Board Chair,” Harvard Business Review Vol. 96 (Mar/Apr
2018), available at: https://hbr.org/2018/03/how-to-be-a-good-board-chair
22 Spencer Stuart, New Director Onboarding: 5 Recommendations for Enhancing Your Program (Sept.
2018), available at: https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/new-director-onboarding
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strategies, resources and covenants, including lines of credit and longer-term credit
facilities; (v) risk profile, including how the board views sector and company risk
and how management assesses, presents and articulates risk; (vi) regulatory, legal
and governance issues; and (vii) key customers, opportunities and vulnerabilities.23
38. The new director also should meet with “key business executives and
functional leaders, including finance, marketing, information technology, human
resources, legal, investor relations, internal audit and other key areas” for
presentations on topics including: (i) the company’s business model, current
objectives and projections, and long range plan; (ii) industry insights; (iii)
company operations, operational challenges and underlying infrastructure; (iv)
material risks; and (v) regulatory, legal, and governance issues.24
39. Onboarding specific to committee assignments is typically carried out
in addition to the onboarding described above. For example, if a director is on the
audit committee, they would typically meet with the Chief Financial Officer, the
Chief Accounting Officer and/or treasurer, and the head of internal audit. These
sessions would cover a number of topics, including the company’s financial
statements and earnings trends, risk management, and the financial reporting
process and internal controls.
25
40. After directors Quentin Koffey and Michelle Brennan were elected to
Masimo’s Board, the typical onboarding processes noted above were not followed
23 Id.
24 Id. See also Cindie Jamison and Jennifer W. Christensen, “How to Build a Successful Director
Onboarding Program,” NACD Directorship Vol 49 (July 1, 2023), available at:
https://www.nacdonline.org/all-governance/governance-resources/directorship-magazine/summer-2023-
issue/how-to-build-successful-director-onboarding-program/.
25 KPMG Audit Committee Institute, “New Audit Committee Member/Director Onboarding,” (2022),
available at: https://kpmg.com/kpmg-us/content/dam/kpmg/boardleadership/pdf/2023/new-audit-committee-member-onboarding.pdf; and Paula Loop, “How to Get First-Time Audit Committee Members
Up to Speed,” NACD Online (April 16, 2019), available at: https://www.nacdonline.org/all-governance/governance-resources/directorship-magazine/online-exclusives/how-to-get-first-time-audit-committee-members-up-to-speed/.
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(though Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan expected the appropriate onboarding process
would be carried out). Specifically, on July 11, 2023, Mr. Koffey wrote that he and
Ms. Brennan had an
26
41. Based on my review of documents provided by counsel, Mr. Koffey
and Ms. Brennan made constructive requests to their fellow board members,
including Chairman Joe Kiani, regarding information they considered important to
understanding the activities and performance of the company in fulling their new
roles as board members of Masimo.
27 Those requests were extensive but not
unreasonable or excessive. In fact, they were consistent with the best practices
discussed above.
42. Mr. Kiani’s response to those requests, which states that responding to
requests for information from Board members is
is not conducive to fostering a constructive
working relationship or generating trust between the new board members and
management.
28 Nor is his following response typical of the interaction between a
chairman and new independent directors:
29
43. Ms. Brennan’s January 4, 2024 email to Mr. Kiani states that, as of
that date, which was almost six months after Ms. Brennan had joined the Board,
the only onboarding Ms. Brennan had received was
26 MASI_00002747.
27 POLITAN_0006933, POLITAN_0010051.
28 POLITAN_0010051.
29 POLITAN_0010051.
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30 That falls far short of best
practices, especially for a complex technology company, particularly one that is
dealing with performance concerns.
III. Information Flow to Directors
44. Delaware courts have made clear that “a sitting director is entitled to
unfettered access to the books and records of the corporation for which he sits.”31
Indeed, “perhaps the most fundamental right is [a director’s] ability to participate
in the board’s collective deliberations and any resulting exercise of its power and
authority over the business and affairs of the corporation.”32 This right of
“unfettered access” to company information is sacrosanct, and for good reason.
45. Directors owe fiduciary duties to the corporation, and they must be
permitted access to the information they conclude is necessary for them to fulfill
those duties. As such, directors are entitled to expect that the information they
need to fulfill their duties will be provided to them and, if it is not, to request such
information from management.33
46. Information “is the lifeblood of a board.”34 Neither management nor
the chairperson of the board should impede the legitimate flow of information to
the board.35 Indeed, given that the board is largely dependent on company
management for information, it is imperative that companies set up appropriate
30 POLITAN_0010051.
31 Kortum v. Webasto Sunroofs, Inc., 769 A.2d 113, 118 (Del. Ch. 2000).
32 Sinchareonkul v. Fahnemann, 2015 WL 292314, at *5 (Del. Ch. Jan. 22, 2015).
33 Gunster, “Maintaining proper communication between boards and management,” (July 1, 2015),
available at: https://gunster.com/2015/07/maintaining-proper-communication-between-boards-and-management/.
34 Id.
35 Sidley Austin, “Corporate Officers’ Role in Corporate Governance: What Officers Need to Know,”
Insights (May 31, 2023), available at: https://www.sidley.com/en/insights/publications/2023/05/corporate-officers-role-in-corporate-governance-what-officers-need-to-know; see also Liam McGee, “CEOs, Stop
Trying to Management the Board,” Harvard Business Review (April 24, 2015), available at:
https://hbr.org/2015/04/ceos-stop-trying-to-manage-the-board.
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processes to ensure that the board receives all relevant information, including bad
news, as well as good news, in a timely manner.36
47. Company management is expected to establish a structure that ensures
appropriate and timely information flow to the board, particularly as it relates to
material items. It is important that the full board receive adequate information at
all times, but especially so during periods of business underperformance, material
transactions, or regulatory inquiries so that directors can properly oversee the
company and management.37
48. While management can and should establish a structure that ensures
appropriate information flow to the board, it is not permitted to act as a gatekeeper
that decides what information the board is allowed to receive. If the information
structure set up by management is inadequate, the board is entitled to request
changes and improvements to the structure to ensure it receives all the information
it needs, in a timely manner.38 Effective boards “are rooted in the diligent design
and maintenance of reliable and efficient information practices that provide timely
access to the highest-quality information.”39
36 Gunster, “Maintaining proper communication between boards and management,” (July 1, 2015),
available at: https://gunster.com/2015/07/maintaining-proper-communication-between-boards-and-management/.
37 Paula Loop, “How to Get First-Time Audit Committee Members Up to Speed,” NACD Online (April
16, 2019), available at: https://www.nacdonline.org/all-governance/governance-resources/directorship-magazine/online-exclusives/how-to-get-first-time-audit-committee-members-up-to-speed/.
38 Ernst & Young, “How To Achieve Enduring Board Effectiveness: Pillar 2: Information Infrastructure,”
(July 2022), available at: https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-unified-site/ey-com/en-us/campaigns/board-matters/documents/ey-cbm-how-to-achieve-enduring-board-effectiveness.pdf; see
also LK Klein, Emily Earl, and Dorian Cundick, “Reducing Information Overload in Your Organization,”
Harvard Business Review (May 1, 2023), available at: https://hbr.org/2023/05/reducing-information-overload-in-your-organization.
39 Id.
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49. Similarly, directors are entitled to request meetings with members of
the senior management team if they anticipate that the information received in such
a meeting will help them fulfill their fiduciary duties to shareholders.40
50. It is also reasonable for directors to carry out their own due diligence
on issues impacting the company if the director deems this information important
to the fulfillment of their fiduciary duties. For example, it is reasonable for a
director to seek information from current or former company employees, industry
participants, analysts, or other stakeholders, especially where adequate information
is not provided by company management.
51. In my opinion, based on the information I have reviewed, information
flow from Masimo’s management to the Board in general, and Mr. Koffey and Ms.
Brennan in particular, was restricted in ways inconsistent with the principles set
forth above.
52. For instance, as discussed above, it appears that Mr. Kiani prevented
the flow of information to the Board by playing a gatekeeping role in response to
requests for information by Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan, stating that gathering the
information was 41
53. In addition, I understand that the Company received a civil
investigative demand from the DOJ on March 25, 2024 and a subpoena from the
SEC on March 26, 2024 but the Board was not notified until April 30, 2024, nearly
six weeks later.42 That is entirely inconsistent with the principle that the board
40 David R. Beatty, “Field Visits by Directors,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance
(February 15, 2018), available at: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2018/02/15/field-visits-by-directors;
see also Mark Suster, “Should All of Your Management Team Attend Board Meetings?” Both Sides of the
Table (February 21, 2019), available at: https://bothsidesofthetable.com/should-all-of-management-attend-board-meetings-f73213b1da13.
41 POLITAN_0010051.
42 Masimo Corp., Politan Preliminary Proxy Statement (Schedule 14A) (June 20, 2024) at 14.
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should be notified immediately if a company receives a subpoena from a
regulator.43
54. An especially interesting example of these improper restrictions is
illustrated by the testimony from Bob Chapek that is quoted and discussed in
Masimo’s preliminary injunction papers regarding Mr. Koffey’s and Ms. Brennan’s
request to meet with the head of U.S. sales.44 The papers state that Mr. Chapek
testified that “the Board had ample access to management and, in fact, the bosses
to whom the head of U.S. sales reports met with the Board.”45 According to
Chapek, “I had never seen in my three years of being on the Disney board a board
member asking for that much that specific of information, and that detailed level of
information.”46
55. In this situation, Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan asked for relevant
information from an operating executive who they viewed as the primary and best
source of that information, which clearly is something that board members have a
right to request in fulfilling their fiduciary duties. Despite the explicit request by
two board members to meet with the head of U.S. sales, it appears that this request
was denied. In my opinion, it is completely inappropriate for other members of
Masimo’s Board or management to restrict access to the information that Mr.
Koffey and Ms. Brennan sought to obtain from speaking with the head of U.S.
sales.
56. In stark contrast to the situation at Masimo, many well-managed and
successful companies provide unfettered access to operating information and low-43 James Parkinson and John Kromer (Orrick”) “How to Respond to a Subpoena: 10 Things You Should
Do Immediately,” BloombergLaw (April 17, 2012), available at:
https://www.orrick.com/en/Insights/2012/04/How-to-Respond-to-a-Subpoena-10-Things-You-Should-Do-Immediately.
44 Masimo Injunction Brief at 7-8.
45 Id.
46 Id.
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level operating executives. For example, Netflix provides extensive data to all
directors and permits directors to attend annual strategy and budget meetings,
alongside operating executives.47 Similarly, Home Depot has a policy that requires
directors to visit at least four of its stores each year alongside members of the
senior leadership team in order to observe store operations, interact with associates
and customers, and stay informed about company initiatives at the store level.48
IV. Budget Planning and Review
57. A company’s board plays a vital role in reviewing and approving the
budget for the upcoming fiscal year.49
58. Corporations that have a fiscal year ending December 31 typically
follow an annual budget cycle:
a. Early Fall: Priorities for the following year are discussed and
confirmed;
b. Late Fall: Management circulates a draft budget, which is
discussed by the board;
c. Early New Year: Final budget is circulated by management and
approved by the board.
47 David F. Larcker and Brian Tayan, “Netflix Approach to Governance: Genuine Transparency with the
Board,” Stanford Closer Look Series (May 2018), available at: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/netflix-approach-governance-genuine-transparency-board.
48 The Home Depot, “Corporate Governance Guidelines of The Home Depot, Inc. Board Of Directors,
Item 12. Director Engagement, Continuing Education and Orientation,” (November 19, 2020), available
at: https://ir.homedepot.com/~/media/Files/H/HomeDepot-IR/documents/governance-documents/2020/Corporate%20Governance%20Guidelines%20Nov%202020.pdf. 49 Bedford Consulting, “The Nine Stages of Budgeting,” available at: https://bedfordconsulting.com/the-nine-stages-of-budgeting-including-5-often-overlooked-areas/; see also Business Roundtable, “Principles
of Corporate Governance,” Item II: Key Responsibilities of the Board of Directors and Management,
Board of Directors,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance (September 8, 2016),
available at: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2016/09/08/principles-of-corporate-governance.
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d. Throughout the Year: Management provides timely updates on
progress relative to the budget. The board approves deviations
from the budget as needed.50
59. The budget includes details and justification for the company’s
spending plans for the next fiscal year. Important line items, such as research and
development investments (R&D), sales, general, and administrative expenses
(SG&A), and cost of goods sold (COGS) are disaggregated to enable directors to
understand the justification for each of those line items. The purpose of providing
breakdowns is to inform the board of specific factors that drive spending and cause
any deviations from budget. An understanding of this information is critically
important for the board’s evaluation of company and management performance.51
60. Based on the documents provided to me, the Masimo Board was not
presented with any documents during board meetings that contain all the
information I would expect to see in a company budget. In my view, the
information that was provided to the Board did not meet the quality standards a
director at a company of Masimo’s size should expect to receive.
61. For instance, at a Board meeting on February 13, 2024, presentations
were given to the Board on Masimo’s consumer and professional health business
segments.52 Those presentations included information on
However, those presentations
contained very little information about capital investment and research and
development expenditures or about how proposed levels of expenditures will allow
50 Brandon Pfeffer, “Introduction to Corporate Budgeting,” LinkedIn (May 6, 2022), available at:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/introduction-corporate-budgeting-brandon-pfeffer-cma/. 51 Frank Kundeya, “Here are 3 must-know terms to manage your company costs (COGS, OPEX AND
SG&A),” LinkedIn (January 28, 2024) available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/here-3-must-know-terms-manage-your-company-costs-cogs-frank-kundeya-23brf/. 52 POLITAN_0012554; POLITAN_0012573.
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the Company to meet target performance levels in expected outcomes in future
years (i.e., how the investments are expected to produce future improvements in
market share, revenue, profits, and shareholder value). The presentations do not
link investment decisions directly to the Company’s strategy. In sum, while the
presentations contain useful financial information, they do not include the
type/data and analysis that I would expect to see in a proposed budget being
presented for approval by a board of directors.
62. The financial update provided at the same February 13, 2024 Board
meeting also does not provide the detailed financial and non-financial information
that I would expect a board to receive when conducting a rigorous assessment of
the budget being considered for approval.53 Instead, it merely
.. In fact, this presentation is
almost entirely the same as a presentation that was publicly released to
shareholders two weeks later with earnings, demonstrating that it was a
presentation for shareholders regarding fourth quarter results and 2024 guidance
and not, in fact, a budget.
63. The materials from October 2023, taken together,
provide some information that I would consider to be useful for purposes of budget
approval, including
..
54 However, those materials
also are not a budget. They are long-term financial projections for purposes of
.. These projections are part of a one-time
and not part of an annual budgeting process.
53 POLITAN_0012456.
54 MASI_00009403; MASI_00007131; POLITAN_0008092.
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64. In summary, none of the materials that Masimo has asserted constitute
its “budget,” reflect the hallmarks of what would be considered a budget according
to industry practice.
V. Board Review of Special Situations
65. A company’s board plays a central role in the review and oversight of
special situations that may arise in the existence of a company, including
(i) material corporate transactions, such as mergers and acquisitions, spinoffs, and
joint ventures; (ii) related-party transactions; and (iii) other extraordinary
circumstances.
Corporate Transactions (merger and acquisitions, spinoffs, joint ventures, etc.)
66. When a company’s management is evaluating a potentially material
transaction, it has an obligation to “to inform and involve the board early and
often.”55 Indeed, “board involvement should begin well before any M&A
transaction appears on the horizon.”56
67. Regardless of the structure of a contemplated transaction, or whether
it is friendly or hostile, the board plays a critical oversight role. The board has a
duty to evaluate any such transaction to determine whether it is in the best interests
of the company and its shareholders, and thus whether to pursue or reject it.
57
“Informed board deliberation and a process untainted by conflict are key.”58
68. Many public M&A deals over $100 million result in legal challenge
alleging breach of fiduciary duty by one or more directors—thus, while such
55 Holly J. Gregory, “The Board’s Role in M&A Transactions,” Sidley Austin (May 2014), available at:
https://www.sidley.com/~/media/files/newsinsights/publications/2014/05/the-boards-role-in-ma-transactions/files/view-article/fileattachment/the-boards-role-in-ma-transactions--may-2014.pdf
56 Id.
57 Id.
58 Id.
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challenges have a high success rate for defendant directors and companies, “it is
critical that the process the board follows during its consideration of an M&A
transaction is sound.”59
69. Once the board understands management’s rationale for a potential
transaction and how it fits with the company’s overarching strategy, it should
engage in ongoing discussions with management to fully understand how the
transaction will impact shareholders, customers, employees, and other
stakeholders.60 As such, the board (or a committee convened by the board to
specifically oversee the transaction) is expected to meet (in person or by telephone)
on a regular basis to receive updates from management and advisors retained by
management.
Related-Party Transactions
70. Related-party transactions involving a company’s CEO or other
members of company management present inherent conflicts of interest. Given
those inherent conflicts, oversight of related-party transactions should be
conducted by a special committee of the board comprised entirely of independent
directors.61
71. Where a special committee is properly deployed, the committee
should exclude anyone with a direct or indirect interest in the transaction, and the
committee should engage its own unconflicted legal and financial advisors.
62 “The
59 Id.
60 Maria Castañón Moats and Leah Malone, “What Boards Need to Know Before, During, and After an
Acquisition,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance (August 17, 2021), available at:
https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/08/17/what-boards-need-to-know-before-during-and-after-an-acquisition/. 61 Andrew R. Brownstein, Benjamin M. Roth, and Elina Tetelbaum, “Use of Special Committees in
Conflict Transactions,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance (September 23, 2019),
available at: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2019/09/23/use-of-special-committees-in-conflict-transactions/. 62 Id.
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committee should also be provided full negotiating power, including the power to
reject the proposed transaction. It should be constituted early in the process, before
any material transaction terms are agreed to, and have access to all relevant
material information regarding the company and the proposed transaction.”63
72. The chair of a special committee “assumes primary responsibility for
interfacing with various legal, financial, and other professionals that have been
retained by the special committee, as well as with company management.”64
73. In evaluating a related-party transaction, the special committee should
consider not only whether to approve or reject the proposed transaction but also
any alternatives to the proposed transaction. The board should, as in all
circumstances, base its final decision on what is in the best interest of
shareholders.65
Extraordinary Circumstances
74. The subjects falling within the purview of public company board of
director oversight have grown to encompass virtually any subject that an investor,
stakeholder or other party raises as being potentially important to a company.66
Boards are expected to have processes in place that alert them to new risks or
63 Id.
64 Frank M. Placenti (Squire and Sanders), “Fifteen Tips for Effectively Chairing a Special Committee,”
available at: https://www.squirepattonboggs.com/~/media/files/insights/publications/2013/02/fifteen-tips-for-effectively-chairing-a-special-
__/files/fifteentipsforeffectivelychairingaspecialcommittee/fileattachment/fifteentipsforeffectivelychairing
aspecialcommittee.pdf. 65 Scott V. Simpson and Katherine Brody, “The Evolving Role of Special Committees in M&A
Transactions: Seeking Business Judgment Rule Protection in the Context of Controlling Shareholder
Transactions and Other Corporate Transactions Involving Conflicts of Interest,” The Business Lawyer Vol.
69, (August 2014), available at: https://www.skadden.com/-/media/files/publications/2014/08/the-evolving-role-of-special-committees.pdf. 66 Peter A. Atkins, Marc S. Gerber, and Kenton J. King (Skadden Arps), “Directors’ Oversight Role
Today: Increased Expectations, Responsibility and Accountability—A Macro View,” Harvard Law School
Forum on Corporate Governance (May 10, 2021), available at:
https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/05/10/directors-oversight-role-today-increased-expectations-responsibility-and-accountability-a-macro-view/.
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special situations that require their oversight; this includes issues that do not fall
squarely under the purview of any standing committee.67
75. If a crisis occurs that threatens the performance, operations, financial
results, or reputation of the company, it is expected that independent directors will
be apprised of, and in a position to address, these circumstances.68 That would
include topics such as cyber breaches, ransomware, problems in the supply chain,
liquidity issues for major customers, etc.
76. Boards must ensure that management is ready to handle a crisis—
before, during, and after it occurs—whatever the crisis event might be.69
Masimo’s Board
77. Masimo has considered a number of material transactions in the past
year since Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan joined the Board, including (i) a process to
sell the whole company, (ii) a potential spin-off of Masimo’s consumer business,
(iii) a potential joint venture transaction. Based on my review of relevant
materials, it is my opinion that the process employed at Masimo to consider those
transactions is not consistent with the governance principles discussed above, in
that the full Board was not updated in a timely manner on material developments
and management made commitments prior to receiving Board approval and
without the input of either the full Board or the Special Committee (defined
below).
67 Id. 68 Pwc, “Being prepared for the next crisis: The board’s role,” (September 2022), available at:
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/governance-insights-center/publications/assets/pwc-being-prepared-for-the-next-crisis-the-boards-role.pdf; see also Mark Watson, “Crisis Preparedness and Management - A Guide
for Directors,” LinkedIn (September 13, 2023), available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/crisis-preparedness-management-guide-directors-mark-watson/. 69 Pwc, “Being prepared for the next crisis: The board’s role,” (September 2022), available at:
https://www.pwc.com/us/en/governance-insights-center/publications/assets/pwc-being-prepared-for-the-next-crisis-the-boards-role.pdf
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78. Two examples are instructive. First, I understand that Masimo’s
Board met on June 24, 2023, just two days before Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan
were elected, at a time when preliminary vote results were already available, and
delegated authority to management to explore a sale of the Company.70 Masimo’s
preliminary injunction papers state that Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan were
adequately informed about the “strategic alternative review process, which
included a potential sale of the whole Company” because they had an hourlong
Zoom meeting with the Company’s lead banker on August 1, 2023.71
79. In my opinion, that position is contrary to established corporate
governance principles. When management of a public company is running an
active sale process, it is typical for directors to be updated nearly weekly or more
and to be kept apprised of which potential bidders are engaged in discussions, as a
well-functioning board would exercise diligent oversight of the sale process. No
such updates appear to have taken place at Masimo, and a single one-hour update
more than a month after the process had commenced is clearly insufficient.
80. Second, on February 13, 2024, Masimo’s Board adopted resolutions
establishing a special committee (the “Special Committee”) and delegating to the
Special Committee the “full power and authority of the Board” to explore and
evaluate a potential transaction involving the separation of the Company’s non-healthcare consumer products business (the “Spin-Off”) and any alternatives to that
transaction.72
81. Nevertheless, it appears that on March 20, 2024, while the Special
Committee was still in existence, Masimo entered into a non-disclosure agreement
with a potential counterparty to explore a joint venture transaction (“JV”), without
70 Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC, Proxy Paper, Masimo Corp., at 15.
71 Masimo Preliminary Injunction Brief at 24-25.
72 MASI_00032601.
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either the Special Committee or the Board being informed beforehand.73 The
Board was not informed of the non-disclosure agreement at a meeting held two
days later either.
74
82. In fact, based on documents I have reviewed, it appears that certain of
Masimo’s Board members (Mr. Koffey, the chair of the Special Committee, former
director Rolf Classon, and Ms. Brennan) were surprised to find out through a Wall
Street Journal article, on March 25, 2024, that Masimo was even in discussions
regarding a potential JV, let alone that a non-disclosure agreement had been
executed.75
83. I have also been made aware that Mr. Kiani
..
76
84. On May 7, 2024, Mr. Kiani signed a non-binding term sheet with the
JV counterparty.
77 It appears that Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan were not informed
of the terms of this agreement, or even the name of the counterparty, until almost a
week later, on May 13, 2024.
78
85. In my opinion, it was wholly improper as a matter of corporate
governance for Masimo’s management to negotiate a JV and sign both a
nondisclosure agreement and a term sheet with the potential JV counterparty while
the Special Committee was still in existence and had the authority to explore and
evaluate both a Spin-Off and alternative transactions. It was also improper, and
73 MASI_00000972-74; MASI_00000644.
74 POLITAN_0016614, at 16632; POLITAN_0015537; POLITAN_0015537, at 15538.
75 POLITAN_00900699 – 710.
76 MASI_00008700.
77 POLITAN_0019344, at 19347-53.
78 POLITAN_0019344.
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| APPENDIX A
CURRICULUM VITAE
DAVID F. LARCKER
HOME ADDRESS: OFFICE:
38495 Stucker Mesa Road Knight Management Center
Hotchkiss, Colorado 81419 Stanford University
Graduate School of Business
655 Knight Way
Stanford, CA 94305–7298
dlarcker@.stanford.edu
(650) 725–6159
EDUCATION:
Ph.D. University of Kansas, 1978
Major: Accounting
Dissertation: Strategic Decision Processes and
Implications for the Design of Accounting
Information Systems
M.S. University of Missouri – Rolla, 1974
Major: Engineering Management
Master's Thesis: A Training Simulation for Rural
Electric Cooperative Management
B.S. University of Missouri – Rolla, 1972
Major: Mechanical Engineering
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ID #:8776 |
| TEACHING POSITIONS:
2006 – present James Irvin Miller Professor of Accounting (Emeritus, 2020)
Graduate School of Business Stanford University
Director of the Corporate Governance Research Initiative
Senior Faculty, The Rock Center for Corporate Governance
Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution
2005 – 2006 Professor of Accounting
Graduate School of Business
Stanford University
1985 – 2005 Ernst & Young Professor of Accounting
The Wharton School
University of Pennsylvania
1984 – 1985 Professor of Accounting and Information Systems,
J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management
Northwestern University
1981 – 1984 Associate Professor of Accounting and Information Systems,
J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management
Northwestern University
1978 – 1981 Assistant Professor of Accounting and Information Systems,
J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management
Northwestern University
OTHER:
Coopers and Lybrand Research Fellow, 1979–1980.
Hay Group Faculty Research Fellow, 1981–1984.
American Accounting Association Doctoral Consortium Faculty, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995,
1997, 2000, 2003, 2005.
Big Ten Doctoral Consortium Faculty, 1985 and 1992.
Pac Ten Doctoral Consortium Faculty, 2000.
Hay Group Academic Advisory Council, 1986–1988.
FASB Task Force Member on Accounting for Executive Stock Options, 1993–1996.
FASB Options Valuation Group Member, 2003.
American Accounting Association Distinguished Visiting International Lecturer, 1993
Coopers & Lybrand Accounting Academics Advisory Group, 1994–1998.
Advisory Board of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, 1995–1997.
Steering Committee for the Business Reporting Research Project of the Financial Accounting
Standards Board, 1998–2000.
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| AWARDS:
Notable Contribution to Managerial Accounting Research, 2001
Distinguished Service to Stanford Ph.D. Students Award, 2010
NACD Directorship 100, 2012
European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI), 2018
Davis Faculty Award, 2022
Honorary Doctorate Copenhagen Business School, 2022.
Journal of Financial Economics, Jensen Prize, 2022.
RESEARCH INTERESTS:
Executive Compensation
Corporate Governance
Managerial Accounting
Applied Econometrics
TEACHING INTERESTS:
Corporate Governance, Managerial Accounting, and Applied Econometrics
EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARDS:
The Accounting Review 1979–1983, 1990–1994, 2008–2010
Journal of Accounting and Economics, 1985–2021
Journal of Accounting Research, 1987–2020
Journal of Management Accounting Research, 1988–2001
Administrative Science Quarterly, 1994–1997
Accounting, Organizations and Society, 1996–present
Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, 2002–2018
Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Advisory Board, 2004–present
MEMBERSHIPS:
American Accounting Association
PRIOR EMPLOYMENT:
August, 1972 – August, 1973 Engineer
Southwestern Bell Telephone Company
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| BOARDS OF DIRECTORS:
Wells Fargo Funds, 2008-2020
Allspring Global Investments, 2020 - present
PUBLICATIONS:
Books:
D.F. Larcker and B. Tayan, The Art and Practice of Corporate Governance (2023).
D.F. Larcker and B. Tayan, Corporate Governance Matters: A Closer Look at Organizational
Choices and Their Consequences, 3nd Edition (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson FT Press,
2021).
D.F. Larcker and B. Tayan, A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance (2013)
Articles:
1. Gordon, L. A., D. F. Larcker, and F. D. Tuggle, "Information Impediments to the Use of
Sophisticated Capital Budgeting Models," Omega, Vol. 7, No. 1 (1979), pp. 67–74.
2. Gordon, L. A., D. F. Larcker, and F. D. Tuggle, "Strategic Decision Processes and the
Design of Accounting Information Systems: Conceptual Linkages," Accounting,
Organizations and Society, Vol. 3, No. 3/4 (May, 1978), pp. 203–213.
3. Larcker, D. F., L. A. Gordon, and G. Pinches, "Testing for Market Efficiency: A
Comparison of the Cumulative Average Residual Methodology and Intervention
Analysis," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Vol. 15, No. 2 (June, 1980),
pp. 267–287.
4. Larcker, D. F. and V. P. Lessig, "Perceived Usefulness of Information: A Psychometric
Examination" Decision Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 1 (January, 1980), pp. 121–134.
5. Fornell, C. and D. F. Larcker, "The Use of Canonical Correlation Analysis in
Accounting Research," Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Vol. 7, No.
3 (Autumn, 1980), pp. 455–473.
6. Fornell, C. and D. F. Larcker, "Evaluating Structural Equation Models with
Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error," Journal of Marketing Research, Vol.
18, No. 1 (February, 1981), pp. 39–50.
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| 7. Larcker, D. F., "The Perceived Importance of Selected Information Characteristics for
Strategic Capital Budgeting Decisions," The Accounting Review, Vol. 56, No. 3 (July,
1981), pp. 519–538.
8. Bagozzi, R. P., C. Fornell, and D. F. Larcker, "Canonical Correlation Analysis as
a Special Case of a Linear Structural Relations Model," Multivariate Behavioral
Research, Vol. 16, No. 4 (October, 1981), pp. 437–454.
9. Larcker, D. F. and V. P. Lessig, "An Examination of the Linear and Retrospective
Process Tracing Approaches to Judgment Modeling, The Accounting Review, Vol.
58, No. 1 (January, 1983), pp. 58–77.
10. Ferris, K. R. and D. F. Larcker, "Explanatory Variables of Auditor Performance
in a Large Public Accounting Firm," Accounting Organizations and Society, Vol.
8, No. 1 (March, 1983), pp. 389–404.
11. Hillmer, S. C., D. F. Larcker, and D. A. Schroeder, "Forecasting Accounting
Data: A Multiple Time Series Analysis," Journal of Forecasting, Vol. 2, No. 4
(October/December, 1983), pp. 389–404.
12. Larcker, D. F. and L. Revsine, "The Oil and Gas Accounting Controversy: An
Analysis of Economic Consequences," The Accounting Review, Vol. 53, No. 4
(October, 1983), pp. 706–732.
13. Larcker, D. F., "The Association Between Performance Plan Adoption and
Corporate Capital Investment," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Vol. 5,
No. 1 (April, 1983), pp. 3–30.
14. Lambert, R. A. and D. F. Larcker, "Golden Parachutes, Executive Decision–
Making, and Shareholder Wealth," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Vol. 7,
No. 1–3 (April, 1985), pp. 179–203.
15. Larcker, D. F. "Short–Term Compensation Contracts and Executive Expenditure
Decisions: The Case of Commercial Banks," Journal of Financial and
Quantitative Analysis, Vol. 22, No. 1 (March, 1987), pp. 33–50.
16. Larcker, D. F. and T. Lys, "An Analysis of the Incentives to Engage in Costly
Information Acquisition: The Case of Risk Arbitrage," Journal of Financial
Economics, Vol. 18, No. 1 (March, 1987), pp. 111–126.
17. Lambert, R. A. and D. F. Larcker, "Executive Compensation Effects of Large Corporate
Acquisitions," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Winter, 1987), pp.
231–243.
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| 18. Lambert, R. A. and D. F. Larcker, "An Analysis of the Use of Accounting and
Market Measures of Performance in Executive Compensation Contracts," Journal
of Accounting Research, Vol. 25 (Supplement, 1987), pp. 85–125.
19. Defeo, V. J., R. A. Lambert, and D. F. Larcker, "An Analysis of the Executive
Compensation Effects of Equity–for–Debt Swaps," The Accounting Review, Vol.
54, No. 2 (April, 1989), pp. 201–227.
20. Lambert, R. A. and D. F. Larcker, "Estimating the Marginal Cost of Operating a
Service Department when Reciprocal Services Exist," The Accounting Review,
Vol. 54, No. 3 (July, 1989), pp. 449–467.
21. Lambert, R. A., Lanen, W. N., and D. F. Larcker, "Executive Stock Option Plans
and Corporate Dividend Policy," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis,
Vol. 2, No. 4 (December, 1989), pp. 409–425.
22. Lambert, R. A., D. F. Larcker, and R. E. Verrecchia, "Portfolio Considerations in
the Valuation of Executive Compensation," Journal of Accounting Research, Vol.
29, No. 1 (Spring, 1991), pp. 129–149.
23. Janakiraman, S. N., R. A. Lambert, and D. F. Larcker, "An Empirical Analysis of
the Relative Performance Evaluation Hypothesis," Journal of Accounting
Research, Vol. 30, No. 1 (Spring, 1992), pp. 53–69.
24. Lanen, W. N. and D. F. Larcker, "Executive Compensation Contract Adoption in
the Electric Utility Industry," Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 30, No. 1
(Spring, 1992), pp. 70–93.
25. Holthausen, R. W. and D. F. Larcker, "The Prediction of Stock Returns Using
Financial Statement Information," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Vol. 15,
No. 2/3 (June/September, 1992), pp. 373–411.
26. Lambert, R. A., D. F. Larcker, and K. Weigelt, "The Structure of Organizational
Incentives," Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 38, No. 3 (September, 1993),
pp. 438–461.
27. Holthausen, R. W., D. F. Larcker, and R. G. Sloan, "Annual Bonus Schemes and
the Manipulation of Earnings," Journal Accounting and Economics, Vol.19, No. 1
(February, 1995), pp. 29–74.
28. Lambert, R. A. and D. F. Larcker, "The Prospective Payment System, Hospital
Efficiency, and Compensation Contracts for Senior–Level Hospital
Administrators," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Vol. 14, No. 1.
(Spring, 1995), pp. 1–31.
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| 29. Holthausen, R. W., D. F. Larcker, and R. G. Sloan, "Business Unit Innovation and
the Structure of Executive Compensation," Journal Accounting and Economics,
Vol. 19, No. 2 & 3 (March–May, 1995), pp. 279–313.
30. Baiman, S., D. F. Larcker, M. V. Rajan, "Organizational Design for Business
Units," Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 33, No. 2 (Autumn, 1995), pp. 205–
229.
31. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, "Total Quality Management and the Choice of
Information and Reward Systems," Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 33
(Supplement, 1995), pp. 1–34.
32. Holthausen, R. W. and D. F. Larcker, "The Financial Performance of Reverse
Leveraged–Buyouts," Journal of Financial Economics, Vol. 42, No. 3
(November, 1996), pp. 293–332.
33. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, "Product Development Cycle Time and
Organizational Performance," Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 34, No. 1
(February, 1997), pp. 13–23.
34. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, "The Performance Effects of Process Management
Techniques," Management Science, Vol. 43, No. 4 (April, 1997), pp. 522–534.
35. Ittner, C. D., D. F. Larcker, M. V. Rajan, "The Choice of Performance Measures
in Annual Bonus Contracts," The Accounting Review, vol. 72, No. 2 (April, 1997),
pp. 231–255.
36. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, "Quality Strategy, Strategic Control Systems, and
Organizational Performance," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Vol. 22,
No. 3/4 (April/May, 1997), pp. 293–314.
37. Ittner, C. D., D. F. Larcker, and T. Randall, "The Activity–Based Cost Hierarchy,
Production Policies, and Firm Profitability," Journal of Management Accounting
Research, Vol. 9 (1997), pp. 143–162.
38. Cavalluzzo, K. S., C. D. Ittner, and D. F. Larcker, "Competition, Efficiency
Gains, and Cost Allocation Changes in Governmental Agencies: Evidence on the
Federal Reserve,” Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 36, No. 1 (Spring, 1998),
pp. 1–32.
39. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, "Are Non–Financial Measures Leading Indicators
of Financial Performance? An Analysis of Customer Satisfaction,” Journal of
Accounting Research, Vol. 36 (Supplement, 1998), pp. 1–46.
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| 40. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, “Innovations in Performance Measurement:
Trends and Research Implications,” Journal of Management Accounting Research
(1998), pp. 205–238.
41. Core, J. E., R. W. Holthausen, R. W., and D. F. Larcker, "Corporate Governance,
Chief Executive Officer Compensation, and Firm Performance" Journal of
Financial Economics, Vol. 51, No. 3 (March, 1999), pp. 371–406.
42. Ittner, C. D., D. F. Larcker, V. Nagar, and M. V. Rajan, “Supplier Selection,
Monitoring Practices, and Firm Performance,” Journal of Accounting and Public
Policy, Vol. 18 (1999), pp. 253–281.
43. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, “Assessing Empirical Research in Managerial
Accounting: A Value–Based Management Perspective,” Journal of Accounting
and Economics, Vol. 32, Nos. 1–3 (December, 2001), pp. 349–410.
44. Ittner, C.D. and D.F. Larcker, “Determinants of Performance Measure Choices in
Worker Incentive Plans,” Journal of Labor Economics, Vol. 20, No. 2, Part 2
(April, 2002), pp. S58–S90.
45. Core, J. E. and D. F. Larcker, “Performance Consequences of Mandatory
Increases in Executive Stock Ownership,” Journal of Financial Economics, Vol.
64, No. 3 (June, 2002), pp. 317–340.
46. Ittner, C. D., W. Lanen, and D. F. Larcker, “Performance Consequences of
Activity–Based Costing: Evidence from Manufacturing Plants,” Journal of
Accounting Research, Vol. 40, No. 3 (June, 2002), pp. 711–726.
47. Ittner, C. D., R, A. Lambert, and D. F. Larcker, “The Structure and Performance
Consequences of Equity Grants to Employees of New Economy Firms,” Journal
of Accounting and Economics, Vol. 34, Nos. 1–3 (January, 2003), pp. 89–127.
48. Ittner, C. D., D. F. Larcker, and M. W. Meyer, “Subjectivity and the Weighting of
Performance Measures: Evidence from a Balanced Scorecard,” The Accounting
Review, Vol. 78, No. 2 (July, 2003), pp. 725–758.
49. Ittner, C. D., D. F. Larcker, and T. Randall, “Performance Implications of
Strategic Performance Measurement in Financial Service Firms,” Accounting,
Organizations and Society Vol. 28, Nos. 7–8 (October/November, 2003), pp.
715–741.
50. Larcker, D. F. and S. A. Richardson, “Fees Paid to Audit Firms, Accrual Choices,
and Corporate Governance,” Journal of Accounting Research Vol. 42, No. 3
(June, 2004), pp. 625–658.
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| 51. Larcker, D. F., S. A. Richardson, and I. Tuna, “Corporate Governance and
Accounting Outcomes,” The Accounting Review Vol. 83, No. 4 (July, 2007), pp.
963–1008.
52. Ittner, C. D., D. F. Larcker, M. Pizzini, “Performance–based Compensation in
Member–Owned Firms: An Examination of Medical Group Practices,” Journal of
Accounting and Economics Vol. 44, No.3 (December, 2007), pp. 300–327.
53. Core, J.E., W. Guay, and D. F. Larcker, “The Power of the Pen and Executive
Compensation,” Journal of Financial Economics Vol. 88, No. 1 (April, 2008), pp.
1–25.
54. Larcker, D.F. and Rusticus, T.O., “On the Use of Instrumental Variables in
Accounting Research,” Journal of Accounting and Economics Vol. 49, No. 3
(April, 2010), pp. 186–205.
55. Armstrong, C. S., A. D. Jagolinzer, D. F. Larcker, “Chief Executive Officer
Equity Incentives and Accounting Irregularities,” Journal of Accounting Research
Vol. 48, No. 2 (May, 2010), pp. 225–271.
56. Armstrong, C. S, D. F. Larcker, and C. Su “Endogenous Selection and Moral
Hazard in Compensation Contracts,” Operations Research Vol. 58 (July–August,
2010), pp. 1090 – 1106.
57. R. Daines, I. Gow, and D. Larcker, “Ratings the Ratings: How Good are
Commercial Governance Ratings?” Journal of Financial Economics Vol. 98, No.
3 (December, 2010), pp. 439–461
58. D.F., Larcker, G. Ormazabal, and D. Taylor, “The Market Reaction to Corporate
Governance Regulation, “Journal of Financial Economics Vol. 101 (August,
2011), pp. 431–448.
59. A.D. Jagolinzer, D. F. Larcker, and D.J. Taylor, “Corporate Governance and the
Information Content of Insider Trades,“ Journal of Accounting Research 49
(December, 2011), pp. 1249–1274.
60. Armstrong, C.S., J.L. Blouin, and D.F. Larcker, “The Incentives for Tax
Planning,“ Journal of Accounting and Economics,Vol. 53, Nos. 1–2, (February–
April,2012) pp. 391–411
61. Armstrong, C.S., C.D. Ittner, and D. F. Larcker, “ Corporate Governance, Compensation
Consultants, and CEO Pay Levels,” Review of Accounting Studies, Vol 17. No. 2 (2012),
p. 322–351.
62. Larcker, D.F. and Zakolyukina, A., “Detecting Deceptive Discussion in
Conference Calls,” Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 50, No. 2 (Supplement,
2012), pp. 495–540.
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| 63. Armstrong, C.S., D.F. Larcker, G. Ormazabal, and D.J. Taylor, “The Relation
Between Equity Incentives and Misreporting: The Role of Risk–Taking
Incentives,” Journal of Financial Economics, Vol. 109 No. 2 (August, 2013), pp.
327–350.
64. Larcker, D.F., So, E., and Wang, C. “Boardroom Centrality and Firm
Performance,” Journal of Accounting and Economics, Vol. 55 Nos. 2–3 (April–
May, 2013), pp. 225–250.
65. Larcker, D.F., McCall, A.F., and Ormazabal, G., “Proxy Advisory Firms and
Stock Option Repricing,” Journal of Accounting and Economics 56 (November–
December, 2013), pp. 149–169.
66. Armstrong, C.S., Gow, I.S., and D. F. Larcker, “The Efficacy of Shareholder
Voting: Evidence from Equity Compensation Plans,” Journal of Accounting
Research 51 (December, 2013), pp. 909–950.
67. Armstrong, C.S., J.L. Blouin, A.D. Jagolinzer, and D.F. Larcker, "Corporate
Governance, Incentives, and Tax Avoidance,” Journal of Accounting and
Economics 60 (August 2015), pp. 1–17.
68. Larcker, D.F., A.L. McCall, and G. Ormazabal, “Outsourcing Shareholder Voting to
Proxy Advisory Firms,” Journal of Law and Economics 58 (2015), pp 173-204.
69. Gow, I.D, Larcker, Reiss, P.C., “Causal Inference in Accounting Research,” Journal of
Accounting Research 54 (Supplement, 2016), pp. 477-523
70. deHaan, Ed, David Larcker, and Charles McClure, “Long-Term Economic Consequences
of Hedge Fund Activist Interventions.” Review of Accounting Studies 24 (2019): 536–69.
71. Jagolinzer, A.D., D.F. Larcker, G. Ormazabal, and D. J. Taylor, “Political
Connections and the Informativeness of Insider Trading, “ Journal of Finance 75
(August, 2020), pp. 1833-1876.
72. Larcker, D.F. and Edward Watts, “Where’s the Greenium?” Journal of Accounting and
Economics 69 (April-May, 2020), pp.
73. Gow, I.D., Larcker, D.F., and Zakolyukina, A. A., “Non-answers During Conference
Calls,” Journal of Accounting Research 59 (September, 2021), pp. 1349-1384.
74. Baker, A., Larcker, D.F., and Wang, C., “How Much Should We Trust Staggered
Difference-in-Difference Estimates,” Journal of Financial Economics 144 (May, 2022),
pp. 370-395.
75. Gow, I.D., Larcker, D.F., and Watts, E.M., “Board Diversity and Shareholder Voting,”
Journal of Corporate Finance 83 (December, 2023), pp.
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| 76. Baker, A., Larcker, D.F., McClure, C., Saraph, D., and Watts, E.M., “Diversity
Washing,” Journal of Accounting Research (forthcoming).
77. Armstrong, C.S, Kepler, J.D., Larcker, D.F., and Shi, S., “Rank-and-File
Accounting Incentives and Financial Reporting Quality,” (forthcoming).
Notes, Replies, and Discussion Comments
1. Fornell, C. and D. F. Larcker, "Structural Equation Models with Unobservable
Variables and Measurement Error: Algebra and Statistics," Journal of Marketing
Research, Vol. 18, No. 3 (August, 1981), pp. 382–388.
2. Larcker, D. F., "Discussion of the SEC 'Reversal' of FASB Statement No. 19: An
Investigation of Information Effects," Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 19
(Supplement, 1981), pp. 218–226.
3. Larcker, D. F., R. E. Reder, and D. T. Simon, "Trades by Insiders and Mandated
Accounting Standards," The Accounting Review, Vol. 58, No. 3 (July, 1983), pp.
606–620.
4. Fornell, C. and D. F. Larcker, "Misapplications of Simulations in Structural
Equation Models: Reply to Acito and Anderson," Journal of Marketing Research,
Vol. 21, No. 1 (February, 1984), pp. 113–117.
5. Larcker, D. F., "Discussion of Accounting Measurement, Price–Earnings Ratios,
and the Information Content of Security Prices," Journal of Accounting Research,
Vol. 27 (Supplement, 1989), pp. 145–152.
6. Lambert, R. A., D. F. Larcker, and K. Weigelt, "How Sensitive is CEO
Compensation to Organizational Size," Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 12,
No. 5 (July, 1991), pp. 395–402.
7. Larcker, D. F., "Discussion of Disqualifying Dispositions of Incentive Stock
Options: Tax Benefits vs. Financial Reporting Costs," Journal of Accounting
Research (Supplement, 1992), Vol. 30, pp. 69–76.
8. Larcker, D. F. and C. D. Ittner, “Empirical Managerial Accounting Research: Are
We Just Describing Management Consulting Practice?,” European Accounting
Review, Vol. 11, No. 4 (2002), pp. 787–794.
9. Larcker, D. F., “Discussion of ‘Employee Stock Options, EPS Dilution, and Stock
Repurchases,” Journal of Accounting and Economics, Vol. 36, Nos. 1–3
(December, 2003), pp. 45–49.
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| 10. Larcker, D. F., “Discussion of ‘Are Executive Stock Options Associated with
Future Earnings,” Journal of Accounting and Economics, Vol. 36, Nos. 1–3
(December, 2003), pp. 91–103.
11. Larcker, D. F. and T. O. Rusticus, “Endogeneity and Empirical Accounting
Research,” European Accounting Review, Vol. 16, No.1 (2007), pp. 207–215.
12. Armstrong, C. S., D. F. Larcker, Discussion of “The impact of the options
backdating scandal on shareholders” and “Taxes and the backdating of stock
option exercise dates,” Journal of Accounting and Economics Vol. 47, Nos. 1–2
(March, 2009), pp. 50–58.
Other Publications
1. Larcker, D. F., "Managerial Incentives in Mergers and Their Effect on
Shareholder Wealth," Midland Corporate Finance Journal, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Winter,
1983), pp. 29–35.
2. Lambert, R. A. and D. F. Larcker, "Executive Compensation Contracts, Executive
Decision–Making, and Shareholder Wealth: A Review of the Evidence," Midland
Corporate Finance Journal, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Winter, 1985), pp. 6–22.
3. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, "Measuring the Impact of Quality Initiatives on
Firm Financial Performance," in Advances in the Management of Organizational
Quality, Vol. 1 (1996), pp. 1–37.
4. Core, J.E., W. Guay, and D. F. Larcker, “Executive Equity Compensation and
Incentives: A Survey,” FRBNY Economic Policy Research, 9 (2003), pp. 27–50.
5. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, “Coming Up Short on Nonfinancial Performance
Measurement,” Harvard Business Review (November, 2003), pp. 88–95.
6. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker, “Moving from Strategic Measurement to Strategic
Data Analysis,” in Controlling Strategy: Management, Accounting, and
Performance Measurement, (Oxford University Press, 2005), pp. 86–105.
7. Ittner, C. D. and D. F. Larcker “Costs and Benefits of Quality Improvement,” in
Handbook of Cost Management (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2005), pp. 313–327.
8. Gerakos, J. J., C. D. Ittner, and D. F. Larcker, “The Structure of Performance–
Based Stock Option Grants,” Essays in Honor of Joel Demski (Springer, 2007),
pp.227–249.
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| 9. Ittner, C.D., D. F. Larcker, and D. Taylor, “Commentary: The Stock Market’s
Pricing of Customer Satisfaction,” Marketing Science Vol. 28, No. 5 (September–
October, 2009), pp. 826–835.
CURRENT WORKING PAPERS:
1. D.F. Larcker and V. Nagar, Do Mega Grants Rationally Overpay Chief Executive
Officers?
2. Kepler, J.D., Larcker, D.F., Seru, A., and Shi, S., High-Stakes Decisions in the Hybrid
Boardroom
CASES, SURVEYS, AND CLOSER LOOKS (Corporate Governance Research Initiative):
See: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/centers-initiatives/cgri
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| APPENDIX B
EXAMPLES OF EXPERT WITNESS ASSIGNMENTS
• Testifying Expert for Plaintiffs in the In re Apple Computer Inc., Derivative Litigation,
before the Honorable Jeremy Fogel, United State District Court, Northern Division, San Jose,
Case No. C-06-4128-JF (APPLE LITIGATION).
• Testifying Expert for Plaintiffs in the Norman Klapper, et al. v. Louis Edward Ryan, Jr., et
al. before the Honorable Bonnie L. Sabraw of the Alameda Superior Court, Case No. HG05-
204910 (ENTERCEPT).
• Testifying Expert for Plaintiff in the In re Oracle Derivative Litigation, (Lisa Galavis and
Philip T. Prince-Clients) before the Honorable Richard Seeborg, United States District Court,
Northern Division, San Francisco, Case No. C-10-3392-RS (ORACLE).
• Testifying Expert for Plaintiff in the In re Hewlett Packard Company, Shareholder
Derivative Litigation, (Stanley Morrical-Client) before the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, United
States District Court, Northern Division, San Francisco, Case No. C-12-6003-CRB (HP
Derivative).
• Testifying Expert for Plaintiff in the PG&E Derivative Litigation before the Honorable
Steven L. Dylina, San Mateo Superior Court, Case No. JCCP-4648-C (PG&E).
• Testifying Expert for Plaintiff in the Public School Teachers’ Pension, et al. v. Gary S.
Guthart, et al., before the Honorable Gerald J. Buchwald, San Mateo Superior Court, Case No.
CIV526930 (INTUITIVE).
• Testifying Expert for Plaintiff in the Kerrigan Capital LLC, et al. v. David Strohm, et al.
before the Honorable Steven L. Dylina, San Mateo Superior Court, Case No. CIV534431
(OPORTUN).
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| APPENDIX C
Materials Relied Upon
Description
Andrew R. Brownstein, Benjamin M. Roth, and Elina Tetelbaum, “Use of Special Committees
in Conflict Transactions,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance (September
23, 2019), available at: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2019/09/23/use-of-special-committees-in-conflict-transactions/.
Bedford Consulting, “The Nine Stages of Budgeting,” available at:
https://bedfordconsulting.com/the-nine-stages-of-budgeting-including-5-often-overlooked-areas/.
Brandon Pfeffer, “Introduction to Corporate Budgeting,” LinkedIn (May 6, 2022), available at:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/introduction-corporate-budgeting-brandon-pfeffer-cma/.
Business Roundtable, “Principles of Corporate Governance,” Item II: Key Responsibilities of
the Board of Directors and Management, Board of Directors,” Harvard Law School Forum on
Corporate Governance (September 8, 2016), available at:
https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2016/09/08/principles-of-corporate-governance.
Christian Casal and Christian Caspar, “Building a forward-looking board,” McKinsey
Quarterly (February 1, 2014), available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/building-a-forward-looking-board#/.
Cindie Jamison and Jennifer W. Christensen, “How to Build a Successful Director Onboarding
Program,” NACD Directorship Vol 49 (July 1, 2023), available at:
https://www.nacdonline.org/all-governance/governance-resources/directorship-magazine/summer-2023-issue/how-to-build-successful-director-onboarding-program/.
David F. Larcker and Brian Tayan, “Netflix Approach to Governance: Genuine Transparency
with the Board,” Stanford Closer Look Series (May 2018), available at:
https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/netflix-approach-governance-genuine-transparency-board.
David F. Larcker, Brian Tayan, and Christina Zhu, “A Meeting of the Minds: How Do
Companies Distribute Knowledge and Workload Across Board Committees?, Stanford Closer
Look Series (December 8, 2014), available at: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/publications/meeting-minds-how-do-companies-distribute-knowledge-workload-across.
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| Description
David R. Beatty, “Field Visits by Directors,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate
Governance (February 15, 2018), available at:
https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2018/02/15/field-visits-by-directors.
Deloitte, Global Center for Corporate Governance, “On the Board’s Agenda: Crisis
Management,” (September 2019), available at:
https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/uk/Documents/risk/deloitte-uk-risk-global-on-the-boards-agenda-crisis-management.pdf.
Eileen Morgan Johnson, “The Basics of Board Committee Structure,” The Center for
Association Leadership (ASAE), (April 29, 2020), available at:
https://www.asaecenter.org/resources/articles/an_plus/2015/december/the-basics-of-board-committee-structure.
Ernst & Young, “How To Achieve Enduring Board Effectiveness: Pillar 2: Information
Infrastructure,” (July 2022), available at: https://www.ey.com/content/dam/ey-unified-site/ey-com/en-us/campaigns/board-matters/documents/ey-cbm-how-to-achieve-enduring-board-effectiveness.pdf.
Frank Kundeya, “Here are 3 must-know terms to manage your company costs (COGS, OPEX
AND SG&A),” LinkedIn (January 28, 2024) available at:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/here-3-must-know-terms-manage-your-company-costs-cogs-frank-kundeya-23brf/.
Frank M. Placenti (Squire and Sanders), “Fifteen Tips for Effectively Chairing a Special
Committee,” available at:
https://www.squirepattonboggs.com/~/media/files/insights/publications/2013/02/fifteen-tips-for-effectively-chairing-a-special-
__/files/fifteentipsforeffectivelychairingaspecialcommittee/fileattachment/fifteentipsforeffectiv
elychairingaspecialcommittee.pdf.
Glass, Lewis & Co., LLC, Proxy Paper, Masimo Corp. (2024)
Gunster, “Maintaining proper communication between boards and management,” (July 1,
2015), available at: https://gunster.com/2015/07/maintaining-proper-communication-between-boards-and-management/.
Holly J. Gregory, “The Board’s Role in M&A Transactions,” Sidley Austin (May 2014),
available at: https://www.sidley.com/~/media/files/newsinsights/publications/2014/05/the-boards-role-in-ma-transactions/files/view-article/fileattachment/the-boards-role-in-ma-transactions--may-2014.pdf.
James Parkinson and John Kromer (Orrick”) “How to Respond to a Subpoena: 10 Things You
Should Do Immediately,” BloombergLaw (April 17, 2012), available at:
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Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142-1 Filed 08/31/24 Page 43 of 47 Page
ID #:8791 |
| Description
KPMG Audit Committee Institute, “New Audit Committee Member/Director Onboarding,”
(2022), available at: https://kpmg.com/kpmg-us/content/dam/kpmg/boardleadership/pdf/2023/new-audit-committee-member-onboarding.pdf.
Liam McGee, “CEOs, Stop Trying to Management the Board,” Harvard Business Review
(April 24, 2015), available at: https://hbr.org/2015/04/ceos-stop-trying-to-manage-the-board.
LK Klein, Emily Earl, and Dorian Cundick, “Reducing Information Overload in Your
Organization,” Harvard Business Review (May 1, 2023), available at:
https://hbr.org/2023/05/reducing-information-overload-in-your-organization.
Maria Castañón Moats and Leah Malone, “What Boards Need to Know Before, During, and
After an Acquisition,” Harvard Law School Forum on Corporate Governance (August 17,
2021), available at: https://corpgov.law.harvard.edu/2021/08/17/what-boards-need-to-know-before-during-and-after-an-acquisition/.
Mark Suster, “Should All of Your Management Team Attend Board Meetings?” Both Sides of
the Table (February 21, 2019), available at: https://bothsidesofthetable.com/should-all-of-management-attend-board-meetings-f73213b1da13.
Mark Watson, “Crisis Preparedness and Management - A Guide for Directors,” LinkedIn
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Governance Survey” (Washington, D.C.: National Association of Corporate Directors, 2018).
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Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142-1 Filed 08/31/24 Page 44 of 47 Page
ID #:8792 |
| Description
Peter A. Atkins, Marc S. Gerber, and Kenton J. King (Skadden Arps), “Directors’ Oversight
Role Today: Increased Expectations, Responsibility and Accountability—A Macro View,”
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Pwc, “Being prepared for the next crisis: The board’s role,” (September 2022), available at:
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Scott V. Simpson and Katherine Brody, “The Evolving Role of Special Committees in M&A
Transactions: Seeking Business Judgment Rule Protection in the Context of Controlling
Shareholder Transactions and Other Corporate Transactions Involving Conflicts of Interest,”
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/media/files/publications/2014/08/the-evolving-role-of-special-committees.pdf.
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Know,” Insights (May 31, 2023), available at:
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Spencer Stuart, New Director Onboarding: 5 Recommendations for Enhancing Your Program
(Sept. 2018), available at: https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/new-director-onboarding.
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(Mar/Apr 2018), available at: https://hbr.org/2018/03/how-to-be-a-good-board-chair.
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Directors, Item 12. Director Engagement, Continuing Education and Orientation,” (November
19, 2020), available at: https://ir.homedepot.com/~/media/Files/H/HomeDepot-IR/documents/governance-documents/2020/Corporate%20Governance%20Guidelines%20Nov%202020.pdf.
DOCUMENTS PROVIDED BY DEFENDANTS’ COUNSEL
Calendar Invite: Masimo In–Person Board Meeting, dated February 13, 2024,
MASI_00029878.
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142-1 Filed 08/31/24 Page 45 of 47 Page
ID #:8793 |
| Description
Calendar Invite: , dated January 1, 2024, MASI_00014180.
Draft . Advisory Agreement, dated January 2024, MASI_00008883–92.
Email from J. Kiani, dated April 20, 2024, MASI_00008700.
Email from J. Kiani, dated February 1, 2024, MASI_00003853–56.
Email from J. Kiani, dated February 26, 2024, MASI_00027788–90.
Email from J. Kiani, dated January 4, 2024, POLITAN_0010051–55.
Email from M. Brennan, dated August 31, 2023, POLITAN_0006933–34.
Email from P. Mascarenhas, dated November 14, 2023, MASI_00009931–35.
Email from Q. Koffey, dated July 11, 2023, MASI_00002747–49.
Email from T. McClenahan, dated April 22, 2024, POLITAN_0016614–61.
Email from T. McClenahan, dated February 5, 2024, MASI_00008015–45.
Email from T. McClenahan, dated February 6, 2024, POLITAN_0011938–2004.
Email from T. McClenahan, dated March 22, 2024, MASI_00000972–75.
Email from T. McClenahan, dated March 22, 2024, POLITAN_0015537–40.
Email from T. McClenahan, dated May 13, 2024, POLITAN_0019344–419.
Executed . Advisory Agreement, dated January 16, 2024,
MASI_00008931–40.
Masimo Board and Committee Meeting Board Book, dated August 1, 2023,
MASI_00028471–81.
Masimo Board of Directors: Masimo Consumer Presentation, dated February 13, 2024,
POLITAN_0012554–72.
Masimo Financial Overview Presentation, dated October 2023, POLITAN_0008092–130.
Masimo Financial Projections, dated October 2023, MASI_00007131.
Masimo Financial Update Presentation, dated February 13, 2024, POLITAN_0012456–85.
Masimo Policies, Procedures, Plans, Guidelines and Charters, dated as of November 8, 2023,
MASI_00006146–367.
Masimo Professional Health Presentation, Dated February 13, 2024, POLITAN_0012573–
611.
Minutes of Meetings of the Board of Directors and Certain Committees of the Board of
Directors of Masimo, dated April 30, 2024, POLITAN_0039144–61.
Minutes of Meetings of the Board of Directors of Masimo, dated February 13, 2024,
MASI_00032601–11.
Minutes of Meetings of the Board of Directors of Masimo, dated July 12, 2023,
MASI_00033042–44.
Minutes of Meetings of the Board of Directors of Masimo, dated July 15, 2024,
MASI_00033045–46.
Non–Disclosure Agreement between and Masimo, dated March 20, 2024,
MASI_00000644–47.
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142-1 Filed 08/31/24 Page 46 of 47 Page
ID #:8794 |
| Description
Pl.’s Suppl. Br., Masimo Corporation v. Politan Capital Management LP, Docket No. 8:24-
cv-01568 (C.D. Cal. Jul 15, 2024), ECF No. 118.
Discussion Materials, dated October 31, 2023, MASI_00009403–44.
Text Messages between Q. Koffey and R. Classon, dated March 25, 2024,
POLITAN_00900699–710.
Vanguard Report: Contested director election at Masimo Corporation, dated November 2023,
MASI_00009938–41.
Case 8:24-cv-01568-JVS-JDE Document 142-1 Filed 08/31/24 Page 47 of 47 Page
ID #:8795 |
| IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
POLITAN CAPITAL
MANAGEMENT LP, a Delaware
limited partnership,
Plaintiff,
v.
JOE E. KIANI, CRAIG B.
REYNOLDS, and ROBERT A.
CHAPEK,
Defendants,
and
MASIMO CORPORATION, a
Delaware corporation,
Nominal Defendant.
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C.A. No. 2024-0755-NAC
FIRST AMENDED AND SUPPLEMENTED VERIFIED COMPLAINT
Plaintiff Politan Capital Management LP (“Politan”) by and through its
undersigned counsel, brings this First Amended and Supplemented Verified
Complaint against Defendants Joe E. Kiani, Craig B. Reynolds, Robert A. Chapek
(collectively, the “Director Defendants”), and Nominal Defendant Masimo
Corporation (“Masimo” or the “Company” and, together with the Director
Defendants, the “Defendants”).
PUBLIC VERSION EFILED
ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 |
| 2
NATURE OF THE ACTION
1. This action arises out of a last-ditch attempt by Joe Kiani,
Masimo’s founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), to maintain his
control over Masimo by manipulating the corporate machinery and impeding the
stockholder franchise. When the two leading proxy advisory firms both
recommended against Mr. Kiani’s election to Masimo’s Board of Directors (the
“Board”) following years of Masimo’s appalling corporate governance practices, it
became abundantly clear that Mr. Kiani would lose a contested election at the
Company’s upcoming 2024 annual meeting (the “Annual Meeting” or the
“Meeting”), which initially was scheduled for July 25, 2024.
2. In response, Mr. Kiani took a number of actions aimed at
inequitably tilting the electoral playing field in his favor, including: (i) delaying the
Annual Meeting by nearly two months in violation of Delaware law and Masimo’s
Fifth Amended and Restated Bylaws (the “Bylaws”); (ii) causing Masimo to file a
frivolous action against Politan in federal court; and (iii) threatening to declare
Politan’s nomination notice invalid. Moreover, in the days leading up to the original
record date for the Annual Meeting, Mr. Kiani colluded with a Masimo stockholder
to artificially inflate his vote totals through empty voting, and he appears to be doing
so again in connection with the new record date. |
| 3
3. Politan brought this action after Masimo compelled Politan to
file suit in connection with last year’s annual meeting to challenge the Company’s
adoption of what may have been the most preclusive advance notice bylaws in
Delaware history. Those bylaws, if allowed to stand, would have precluded Politan
from nominating candidates for election to Masimo’s Board. It was only through
months of hard-fought litigation that Politan was able to secure the repeal of those
bylaws. At the conclusion of that proceeding, the Court noted the “phalanx of
impediments that Masimo had thrown up to the exercise of the stockholder
franchise” and remarked that “[t]here should be zero doubt . . . that the repeal of the
challenged advance notice bylaw provisions here had remarkable value and was,
frankly, an extraordinary corporate benefit.”
4. The repeal of the amended bylaws cleared the way for Masimo’s
stockholders to vote at the Company’s 2023 annual meeting to unseat both
incumbent Board members who were up for re-election and elect Politan’s
nominees, Quentin Koffey and Michelle Brennan, in a landslide victory. However,
rather than welcome the newly-elected Board members into the fold and engage in
much-needed reform, Mr. Kiani and his allies on Masimo’s five-member Board
continued with business as usual. |
| 4
5. Following another year of Masimo’s stunning corporate
governance malfeasance, on Thursday, July 11, 2024, proxy advisory firm Glass,
Lewis & Co. (“Glass Lewis”) recommended that stockholders vote at this year’s
Annual Meeting in favor of Politan’s two nominees for election to Masimo’s Board
and against the Company’s two nominees—which include Mr. Kiani. In a scathing
report, Glass Lewis asserted that change is needed because, among other things, “the
existing board remains obdurately committed to legacy oversight methodologies
which have consistently enabled and amplified poor governance architecture, wide
operational misses, nil-return strategic excursions, seemingly de minimis
accountability and, ultimately, a lax commitment to acknowledging and addressing
profound damage to shareholder value.”
6. The following Monday, July 15, 2024, Institutional Shareholder
Services (“ISS”), the other major proxy advisory firm, also recommended that
stockholders vote in favor of Politan’s nominees and against the Company’s
nominees. As ISS put it, under Mr. Kiani’s leadership, Masimo “has a corporate
governance track record that is firmly among the most troubling of any modern
public company.” (Emphasis added.) ISS continued that Mr. Kiani “has
demonstrated that he has no regard for public shareholders. He has been at the center |
| 5
of so many corporate governance scandals and abuses that no credible argument
exists to the contrary.”
7. With ISS’s recommendation, the dam burst. As a leading
research firm put it: “The two leading proxy advisors are now squarely on board
with Team Politan and while they don’t have the last word, it’s tough to imagine
a scenario where Politan doesn’t win two seats at [the] AGM . . . .” (Emphasis
added.)
8. Later that same day, in a clear attempt to manipulate the election
and increase his chances of entrenching himself in office, Mr. Kiani caused the
Board—in a meeting that lasted a total of 12 minutes—to move the Annual Meeting
to a date 15 months after the last annual meeting, in clear violation of Delaware law
and the Company’s own Bylaws, and to commence a frivolous lawsuit against
Politan, Mr. Koffey, Ms. Brennan, and Politan’s nominees in the United States
District Court for the Central District of California (the “California Action”).
9. To justify that extraordinary movement of the record and
meeting dates, Masimo cited Politan’s concerns about an empty voting scheme
Politan had brought to the Board’s attention two weeks earlier, but which Masimo
had rejected as “Politan’s Governance Hypocrisy.” |
| 6
10. Masimo’s justification was nakedly pretextual. Discovery in the
California Action has revealed that Mr. Kiani both knew about, and actively
coordinated, the empty voting scheme, which was carried out by a close personal
friend of his, Dr. Naveen Yalamanchi, Portfolio Manager and Partner at RTW
Investments LP (“RTW”).
11. Specifically, as of March 31, 2024, RTW held 2.8% of Masimo’s
common stock. In the 13 days leading up to the initial June 13, 2024 record date for
this year’s Annual Meeting (the “June 13th Record Date”), RTW more than tripled
that position to 9.9%, while simultaneously hedging its position by borrowing and
shorting offsetting shares, thereby decoupling its voting power from its economic
interest. Then, after voting those empty shares in favor of Mr. Kiani and the
Company’s other nominee, Christopher Chavez, RTW unwound that position,
returning to its previous level of ownership by June 30, 2024. As Glass Lewis noted,
such a scheme is “a highly inappropriate manipulation of the shareholder
franchise and a severe indictment of Masimo’s credibility and corporate
governance.” (Emphasis added.)
12. Mr. Kiani was deeply involved in RTW’s misconduct. He
regularly communicated—by telephone, text messaging, and even encrypted
messaging—with Dr. Yalamanchi and Roderick Wong, RTW’s Managing Partner |
| 7
and Chief Investment Officer, during the period in which RTW was accumulating
its shares for empty voting. Those communications demonstrate, at a minimum, that
Mr. Kiani knew precisely what RTW was doing.
13. For instance, a June 27 picture that Mr. Kiani sent to Dr.
Yalamanchi of a list of Masimo stockholders showed both RTW’s inflated holding
of 10% and a significantly reduced holding for one of Masimo’s largest
stockholders, BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”), showing that Mr. Kiani knew the
identity of the stockholder from which RTW had borrowed shares. Discovery has
revealed that Mr. Kiani knew as early as May 24, 2024 that this scheme was
underway, and his advisors tracked the accumulation of RTW’s empty position in
weekly reports.
14. By moving the record and the Annual Meeting dates, Masimo
effectively nullified RTW’s empty voting scheme in connection with the initial
record date. However, data available to Politan strongly suggests that RTW
currently is engaging in empty voting in a second attempt to manipulate the
stockholder vote in Mr. Kiani’s favor.
15. Further, it is evident that Mr. Kiani intends to use the California
Action as a pretext to wrongly refuse to recognize Politan’s nomination of two
highly-qualified candidates—Darlene Solomon, former CTO of Agilent |
| 8
Technologies, Inc. (a $40 billion market capitalization Life Sciences company) and
Bill Jellison, former CFO of Stryker Corporation (a $125 billion market
capitalization MedTech company)—for election to Masimo’s Board at the Annual
Meeting.
16. Specifically, in the California Action, Masimo asserts, among
other things, a claim that Politan violated Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act by allegedly making false and misleading statements and omissions in its proxy
filings. In that action, as well as in hearings in this action, Masimo has taken the
position that any violation of Section 14(a) empowers Mr. Kiani, as the chairman of
the Annual Meeting, to reject Politan’s nomination under Masimo’s Bylaws.
17. Accordingly, Politan requests that the Court: (i) determine that
the Director Defendants breached their fiduciary duties by (a) moving the Annual
Meeting from July 25, 2024 to September 19, 2024, (b) commencing the frivolous
California Action against Politan for the wrongful purpose of invalidating Politan’s
nomination of Dr. Solomon and Mr. Jellison, and (c) knowingly facilitating, or
failing to take any action to remedy, RTW’s manipulation of the stockholder vote in
a timely manner; (ii) determine that Mr. Kiani breached his fiduciary duties by
colluding with RTW to artificially inflate his vote totals through empty voting; (iii)
direct the Company to hold the Annual Meeting on September 19, 2024 and set |
| 9
appropriate procedures for the Annual Meeting, pursuant to 8 Del. C. § 211(c); (iv)
declare that the Company and the Director Defendants are estopped from rejecting
Politan’s nomination of Dr. Solomon and Mr. Jellison; and (v) to the extent RTW’s
empty vote is disenfranchising, declaring that any votes cast by RTW that exceed
RTW’s economic interest in the Company are invalid.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
18. This Court has jurisdiction over this action pursuant to
8 Del. C. § 111 and 10 Del. C. § 341.
19. As directors of a Delaware corporation, the Director Defendants
have consented to the jurisdiction of this Court pursuant to 10 Del. C. § 3114.
THE PARTIES
Politan Capital Management
20. Plaintiff Politan Capital Management LP is a Delaware limited
partnership and an investment advisor to the funds it manages. Politan, together with
certain affiliates, beneficially owns 4,713,518 shares of Masimo common stock,
representing approximately 8.9% of Masimo’s outstanding common shares.
21. Politan was founded in 2021 by Quentin Koffey. Mr. Koffey has
been described as an investor that has “creat[ed] significant value for shareholders.” |
| 10
22. On June 26, 2023, Mr. Koffey was elected as a director of the
Company by the Company’s stockholders, along with Politan’s other nominee, Ms.
Brennan.
Masimo Corporation
23. Founded in 1989, Defendant Masimo Corporation is a Delaware
corporation with its headquarters and principal place of business in Irvine,
California. Masimo is a supplier of various medical technologies, including pulse-oximetry monitoring technologies to hospitals.
The Director Defendants
24. Defendant Joe E. Kiani is Masimo’s founder. Mr. Kiani has
served as Masimo’s Chairman and CEO since the Company’s formation in 1989.
25. Defendant Craig B. Reynolds, a close ally of Mr. Kiani’s, has
served as a director of Masimo since 2014. Unusually, he chairs all three
committees of Masimo’s Board—Audit, Compensation, and Nominating,
Compliance, and Corporate Governance (the “Nominating Committee”).
26. Defendant Robert A. Chapek has served as a director of Masimo
since January 15, 2024. Mr. Kiani, rather than the Company’s Nominating
Committee, selected Mr. Chapek to serve on the Board. |
| 11
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
A. Mr. Kiani Harms Masimo Stockholders By Exercising Unchecked
Control Over the Company
27. Since founding Masimo in 1989, Mr. Kiani has served as
Chairman & CEO and has a well-established track record of placing his own interests
ahead of the interests of Masimo’s stockholders.
28. The lack of any Board check on Mr. Kiani’s worst impulses has
caused substantial harm to Masimo’s stockholders. For instance, on February 15,
2022, Masimo announced that it was acquiring Sound United LLC (“Sound
United”)—a consumer audio company that sells speakers and headphones under
brands such as Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, and Polk Audio—for approximately
$1.025 billion.
29. Backlash from Masimo’s stockholders was immediate. On the
day the acquisition was announced, the Company’s stock closed at $228 per share.
The following day, the stock fell 37%, to $144 per share. Thus, the market
responded to news of a $1.025 billion acquisition by erasing five times that
amount—approximately $5.1 billion—from Masimo’s market cap.
30. Such a drop in value is extremely rare, if not unprecedented. To
Politan’s knowledge, based on extensive research, never before in the history of
United States publicly traded companies has an acquiring company’s market cap |
| 12
declined by more than two times, let alone five times, the purchase price of the
acquisition where the acquisition was material (i.e., 5% or more of the acquiring
company’s market cap).
B. Threatened By an Outside, Independent Voice, Masimo’s Board
Entrenches Itself After Politan Seeks Constructive Engagement
31. On August 16, 2022, Politan disclosed its investment in Masimo
by filing a Schedule 13D with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
Immediately before, and again shortly after, filing the Schedule 13D, Mr. Koffey
requested a meeting with Mr. Kiani to begin constructively engaging with Masimo.
32. After repeated requests, Mr. Kiani finally agreed to a meeting
with Mr. Koffey on September 2, 2022. During that meeting, the parties discussed
Masimo’s corporate governance, strategic initiatives, and financial performance. In
addition, Mr. Koffey expressed Politan’s desire for representation on Masimo’s
board and made clear that Politan was approaching the situation with an open mind,
would reserve judgment on any of Masimo’s strategic initiatives, and had a strong
focus on return on invested capital and good stewardship of stockholder resources.
33. In the nearly two years since Politan expressed a desire for
representation on Masimo’s Board, Mr. Kiani has stonewalled Politan at every turn
and has repeatedly and wrongfully manipulated Masimo’s corporate machinery to
entrench himself in power. |
| 13
34. For instance, on September 9, 2022—less than a month after
Politan filed its first Schedule 13D relating to Masimo and only five business days
after the initial meeting between Mr. Koffey and Mr. Kiani—the Board adopted and
approved certain amendments to the advance notice provisions in Masimo’s bylaws
(the “Bylaw Amendments”), and did so without consulting a single advisor other
than their outside counsel. That same day, the Board also adopted a stockholder
rights plan, commonly known as a “poison pill,” without first consulting with a
financial advisor.
35. The timing and content of the Bylaw Amendments made clear
that they were adopted for the express purpose of preventing Politan, or any other
investment fund stockholder, from nominating a dissident slate of directors for
election to Masimo’s Board.
36. Indeed, the Bylaw Amendments were perhaps the most
preclusive advance notice bylaws in Delaware history. To that end, almost
immediately after the passage of the Bylaw Amendments, Masimo faced a tsunami
of criticism from commentators, academics, and even the activist defense bar.1
1
Bylaw Amendments, Shareholder Activism, and Flying Close to the Sun, SIDLEY
AUSTIN, (Nov. 18, 2022),
https://www.sidley.com/en/insights/newsupdates/2022/11/bylaw-amendments-shareholder-activism-and-flying-close-to-the-sun; Liz Hoffman, A fight for the
(Continued . . .) |
| 14
C. Politan Commences Litigation and Mr. Kiani and the Board Repeatedly
Retreat
37. After the Board rejected Politan’s multiple demands to rescind
the Bylaw Amendments, Politan was forced to file an action in October 2022
challenging the Bylaw Amendments (the “Prior Litigation”).
38. During the course of the Prior Litigation—which spanned nearly
a year—Mr. Kiani and the Board repeatedly retreated and ultimately rescinded the
Bylaw Amendments.
39. First, on December 1, 2022, less than two months after Politan
filed the Prior Litigation, the Board amended Masimo’s advance notice bylaws yet
again, slightly scaling back some of the more egregious provisions in the Bylaw
Amendments. Yet those amendments did little to ameliorate the show-stopping
preclusive effect of the Bylaw Amendments.
boardroom of America, SEMAFOR (Nov. 3, 2022),
semafor.com/article/11/03/2022/inside-a-new-corporate-move-that-turns-the-tables-on-activist-investors; Svea Herbst-Bayliss, Law firm Sidley warns clients
about rules that may hinder activists, REUTERS, (Nov. 18, 2022),
https://www.reuters.com/legal/law-firm-sidley-warns-clients-about-rules-that-may-hinder-activists-2022-11-18/; Matt Levine, Credit Suisse Gives First Boston a
Second Chance, BLOOMBERG, (Oct. 27, 2022),
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2022-10-27/credit-suisse-gives-first-boston-gets-a-second-chance. |
| 15
40. Second, on February 6, 2023, the Board rescinded the Bylaw
Amendments in their entirety. This complete repeal came on the heels of the Court’s
decision denying a partial motion to dismiss Politan’s claim concerning the
entrenching provisions contained in Mr. Kiani’s employment agreement. In its
decision, the Court observed that there was a “lack of clarity of what the purpose of
all this would be absent an intent to impact the stockholder franchise for the
nomination of directors in connection with an election contest.” The Court
continued: “[I am] not sure for a lot of these provisions, and certainly for them
together, . . . there really is a parallel.” (Emphasis added.)
D. The 2023 Annual Meeting
41. Masimo held its 2023 annual meeting on June 26, 2023. Freed
from the preclusive effect of the Bylaw Amendments, Masimo’s stockholders
overwhelmingly voted to change the Company’s direction and reform its corporate
governance.
42. First, Masimo stockholders voted to unseat both of the
incumbent Board members who were up for re-election and elected Mr. Koffey and
Ms. Brennan to the Board with more than 70% of the votes cast by non-insiders.
Indeed, 17 of the Company’s 20 largest non-insider stockholders voted for both Mr.
Koffey and Ms. Brennan. |
| 16
43. Second, stockholders voted to approve a proposal to declassify
the Company’s Board over four years, with 99% of stockholders voting in favor.
Under that proposal, all members of the Board who are elected beginning at the 2024
annual meeting will be elected for annual terms.
44. Third, stockholders supported an advisory vote to approve an
increase to the total number of authorized directors of the Board from five to seven,
with 84% of stockholders voting in favor.
E. Mr. Kiani Seeks to Marginalize Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan
45. Although Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan were elected in a
landslide victory, Mr. Kiani has sought to marginalize them at every turn by, among
other things, rebuffing their requests for material information about Masimo’s
operations, denying them access to Company management, repeatedly meeting with
the entire Board, with advisors present, without informing or inviting Mr. Koffey or
Ms. Brennan, and refusing to consider any review of the Company’s strategy or
capital allocation. Indeed, Mr. Kiani even went so far as to propose buying Politan’s
stock at a premium if Mr. Koffey would promise not to run a proxy contest; Mr.
Koffey flatly rejected that offer.
46. The refusal to provide basic information is all the more
concerning given that only weeks after Masimo’s 2023 annual meeting at which Ms. |
| 17
Brennan and Mr. Koffey were overwhelmingly elected to the Board, Masimo
reported a shocking revenue miss that caused its share price to decline over 20% in
a single day—and its share price further declined over time by nearly 50% as
allegations and whistleblower lawsuits came to light, which claimed that Masimo
had engaged in discounting and bulk discounts during the 2023 proxy contest in an
effort to prop up its results and convince shareholders that electing Politan’s
nominees was not necessary.
47. Under Mr. Kiani’s leadership, with the backing of his hand-picked directors, Masimo continues to face serious challenges, including—as
identified by Glass Lewis—“continued failures to hit [] several key operational
targets by wide measures . . . deteriorating capital efficiency, muddled operational
messaging . . . and, disconcertingly, discounting/channel stuffing in the run-up to the
2023 [election] contest.”
F. Politan Discloses Its Intention to Engage in a Proxy Contest
48. On March 25, 2024, in accordance with Masimo’s Bylaws,
Politan gave notice that it was nominating Dr. Solomon and Mr. Jellison for election
to the Board at the Annual Meeting (the “Nomination Notice”).
49. The Company did not raise any objection that the Nomination
Notice was invalid or deficient. Nor could it, as the Nomination Notice complied |
| 18
with all applicable terms of the Company’s Bylaws. Notably, as Mr. Kiani and the
other Director Defendants knew, this meant that the Company’s nominees would
face a contested election at the Annual Meeting.
G. Mr. Kiani Attempts to Use a Transformative Transaction to Entrench
Himself in Control of Masimo’s Assets
50. Both before and after Politan submitted its Nomination Notice,
Mr. Kiani had schemed to orchestrate a transformative transaction that would
entrench his control of Masimo and its key assets.
51. First, on June 24, 2023, just days before the annual meeting at
which Politan’s nominees won election to the Board—and after preliminary vote
totals were available showing that the Company’s nominees would lose—Mr. Kiani
called an emergency Board meeting at which the Board delegated authority to
Masimo’s management (i.e., Mr. Kiani) to pursue an ultimately unsuccessful sale of
Masimo.
52. Then, in early 2024, Mr. Kiani explored a potential spin-off of
Masimo’s consumer business to an entity that he would control. Mr. Kiani
terminated those discussions when he received, and strongly disapproved of, the
terms for the transaction unanimously proposed by a fully empowered special
committee consisting of independent directors who were advised by Sullivan &
Cromwell LLP and Centerview Partners LLC. |
| 19
53. Then, on the same day that Politan submitted its Nomination
Notice, the Board learned (by reading a Wall Street Journal article of an interview
with Mr. Kiani) that Mr. Kiani was in discussions with a potential joint venture
(“JV”) partner for the consumer business. The Wall Street Journal article reported
that Mr. Kiani was expected to serve as the chair of the JV.
54. Mr. Kiani continued to engage in discussions concerning the
potential JV transaction in secret, without providing even basic information to the
full Board, including the identity of the JV counterparty. Mr. Kiani’s plan was to
push the transaction through quickly, without meaningful Board oversight, and to
sign definitive agreements and announce the transaction prior to the Annual Meeting
in an effort to swing the vote in his favor.
55. Although Mr. Koffey and Ms. Brennan asked that the Annual
Meeting be scheduled in May or June as it traditionally had been, Mr. Kiani and his
affiliated directors scheduled the Annual Meeting for July 25, 2024—the last
possible date the Annual Meeting could be held (the 2023 annual meeting had been
held on June 26, 2023)—in order to give Mr. Kiani as much time as possible to
secure a deal.
56. The contemplated JV transaction was designed to benefit Mr.
Kiani personally and entrench his control over Masimo’s key assets. In particular, |
| 20
it contemplated the transfer of valuable Company intellectual property, trade secrets,
and trademarks to an entity that Mr. Kiani would lead.
57. Mr. Kiani publicly backed off of his plan to enter into definitive
agreements and announce a transaction before the Annual Meeting only after Mr.
Koffey served a books and records demand pursuant to 8 Del. C. § 220(d) for
documents concerning the proposed transaction and numerous Masimo stockholders
wrote the Board to express their view that the Company should not move forward
with any transaction before the Annual Meeting. On July 15, 2024, in a public filing,
Masimo stated that the Board had “resolved not to move forward with the proposed
JV transaction or any other separation transaction before the 2024 Annual Meeting
of Stockholders . . . without the unanimous approval of the entire Board.”
58. Given Mr. Kiani’s past conduct, however, Politan remained
justifiably concerned that Mr. Kiani may reverse course and attempt to push through
the proposed JV transaction (or a similar transaction) before the Annual Meeting.
That concern was underscored by the fact that Masimo originally had agreed to
exclusivity with the JV counterparty through July 15, 2024, which was subsequently
extended to August 15, 2024.
59. On August 26, 2024, after the exclusivity period expired, the
Company announced that it continues to discuss a potential JV and is engaged in |
| 21
parallel discussions with other parties who have reached out and expressed interest
in acquiring the consumer audio business.
60. As such, there is a substantial risk of a Kiani-controlled Board
entering into a significant transaction that could harm the Company, as even the
independent proxy advisory firm, ISS, acknowledged: “Given management’s
history of disregard for the investor base, and developments over the past
year, shareholders have no reason to believe that management can be trusted to
structure a pivotal transaction on their behalf without the safeguard of further board
independence. Thus, change is not only warranted on the basis of fundamental
corporate governance failings, but is absolutely necessary to ensure that the
separation does not compromise shareholder value.”
H. RTW Engages in an Empty Voting Scheme Designed to Benefit Mr. Kiani
61. In the midst of the heated proxy contest, RTW engaged in an
empty voting scheme to manipulate the outcome of the upcoming director vote in
favor of Mr. Kiani. “Empty voting” or “record date capture” enables an investor to
vote shares for which it has no economic exposure. This trading strategy involves
purchasing shares to beneficially own them on the record date for the Annual
Meeting and therefore be entitled to vote them, while simultaneously shorting and |
| 22
borrowing a similar number of offsetting shares in order to eliminate economic
exposure to the acquired stock.
1. Mr. Kiani Has a Close Personal Relationship With Dr.
Yalamanchi
62. Mr. Kiani is close personal friends with Dr. Yalamanchi, a
Partner and Portfolio Manager at RTW who is responsible for RTW’s medical
technology investments, including its investment in Masimo. Mr. Kiani and Dr.
Yalamanchi communicate regularly by both telephone and text (including encrypted
WhatsApp messages), have dinner together with their spouses, and are both
members of the Orange County business community. Indeed, Dr. Yalamanchi is the
only Masimo stockholder Mr. Kiani has invited to fly on Masimo’s corporate jet
during the past year.
63. Mr. Kiani is also friendly with Roderick Wong, RTW’s Founder,
Managing Partner, and Chief Investment Officer. Mr. Kiani has been a guest speaker
at a course Dr. Wong teaches at New York University on “Financial Analysis in
Healthcare.”
64. Mr. Kiani also invests in RTW’s managed funds and is featured
in a testimonial on RTW’s website:2
2 https://www.rtwfunds.com/our-companies/ |
| 23
65. Mr. Kiani has even gone so far as to involve RTW in Masimo
strategy matters, sending Dr. Yalamanchi copies of Masimo press releases with
highly confidential and material non-public information for review and comment
before they go out, and placing him on a rapid response list of investors that could
assist with putting out statements supporting the Company’s position during the
proxy contest or speak with reporters, either on background or on the record, to
advance the Company’s narrative.
2. RTW, With Mr. Kiani’s Knowledge and Assistance,
Empty Votes Millions of Masimo Shares
66. According to its Schedule 13F filings, RTW held a 2.8%
ownership interest in Masimo on March 31, 2024.
67. Notably, it appears that RTW knew of the June 13th Record Date
before it was publicly disclosed. RTW would not have been able to discern the |
| 24
record date on the basis of Masimo’s preliminary proxy statement dated May 31,
2024, which left the record date blank—and yet, as described below, RTW’s trading
during the period of May 23, 2024 to June 5, 2023 strongly suggests that it somehow
knew that the record date would be on or around June 13, 2024.
68. From May 23, 2024 through June 5, 2024, a 13-day period
leading up to the June 13th Record Date, large block trades in Masimo were executed
on each business day of between 350,000 and 650,000 shares, totaling over 3.8
million shares. Innisfree M&A Inc. (“Innisfree”), one of Masimo’s proxy
solicitation and investor relations firms, noted that those trades were a “significant
departure from normal voting patterns” and identified RTW as the entity making the
trades. All told, in a single 13-day period leading up to the June 13th Record Date,
RTW more than tripled its Masimo position, ultimately accumulating a 9.9%
ownership interest in Masimo.
69. Innisfree further observed that, during the same general period,
short interest in Masimo’s stock spiked by a total of 3 million shares, reaching a peak
of approximately 6 million shares, or 12.2% of outstanding stock. The borrowed
shares primarily came from BlackRock. Innisfree confirmed that the rising short
interest was a result of RTW’s trading activity, not rising bearish sentiment in
Masimo’s stock. |
| 28
votable position (this would all occur unbeknownst to BlackRock, which would have
had no information as to who was borrowing its shares or how they were being used).
73. RTW swiftly disposed of its newly acquired shares after the June
13th Record Date. According to its Schedule 13F filing, RTW’s ownership interest
returned to 2.8% by June 30, 2024, a mere 17 days after the June 13th Record Date
and before RTW had even voted those shares. Indeed, Innisfree noted RTW’s
disposal of shares and synchronized unwind of its short position.
74. According to Innisfree, as later confirmed by Depository Trust
and Clearing Company (“DTCC”) reports of several financial institutions (including
Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, and Bank of America), on July 1, 2024, a single block
of approximately 5.25 million shares of Masimo voted early in favor of the
Company’s nominees. Innisfree confirmed that RTW was the primary holder and
the custodian of those shares.
75. On that same day, RTW reached out to Glass Lewis, representing
its ownership interest in Masimo as 9.9% and expressing support for the Company’s
nominees and opposition to Politan’s nominees. Glass Lewis observed that
according to S&P Capital IQ’s market intelligence service, “RTW was the owner of
a 2.8% interest in Masimo as of March 31, 2024, indicating the ownership position |
| 29
communicated in the July 1, 2024, email represented an increase of approximately
3.6x by RTW over the course of approximately three months.” (Emphasis added.)
76. Glass Lewis further noted that, while it did not have further
information about RTW and was expressly not basing its recommendation on the
empty voting issue, “the specified ownership interest and implied rate of accrual
appear to align with certain of the concerns raised by Politan” in its July 3, 2024
letter. As to the potential empty voting, Glass Lewis concluded “[i]f additional
materials corroborating Politan’s concerns subsequently emerge, whether prior to or
following the forthcoming meeting, we would view such circumstances as a highly
inappropriate manipulation of the shareholder franchise and a severe indictment
of Masimo’s credibility and corporate governance.” (Emphasis added.)
77. Indeed, empty voting at this scale threatens to distort corporate
democracy at Masimo—especially where, as here, it is coordinated by the
Company’s Chairman and CEO, who is up for re-election—as a stockholder whose
votes are divorced from its economic interest may not vote in a manner that is in the
best interests of the Company and all its stockholders. In particular, empty voting
undermines the legitimacy of the stockholder franchise by enabling an investor to
effectively buy the right to potentially determine the outcome of a stockholder vote |
| 30
even when the investor has no intention of having any actual economic exposure to
the stock at all (not even momentarily).
I. The Company Issues False and Misleading Denials in Response to
Politan’s Inquiries About the Empty Voting Scheme
78. Politan discovered evidence of RTW’s empty voting on or
around July 1, 2024. On July 3, 2024, Politan privately sent a letter to the Board
detailing its serious concerns that a friend of Mr. Kiani’s had engaged in empty
voting. In light of its well-founded concerns, Politan requested that the Board set a
new record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, without
moving the Annual Meeting date. Politan further requested that the Board: (i)
investigate what, if any, contact Mr. Kiani has had with this investor; and (ii) direct
that Mr. Kiani cannot participate in, or encourage, any schemes that would
undermine the ability of stockholders of the Company to vote in a fair election.
79. On Friday, July 5, 2024, Masimo’s general counsel informed
Politan privately that the Board would hold a meeting the following week to discuss
Politan’s concerns.
80. On Monday, July 8, 2024, Politan filed its earlier July 3, 2024
letter publicly. Later that day, Mr. Reynolds, as the Board’s Lead Independent
Director, responded by public letter, asserting “that neither Mr. Kiani nor any other
member of management or non-Politan member of the Board has ever had any |
| 31
agreement, arrangement or understanding related to the trading or voting of the
shares in question.”
81. Tellingly, Mr. Reynolds’ response did not deny that Mr. Kiani
was aware of the trading and voting of the shares in question, nor did it deny that
Mr. Kiani had encouraged RTW to engage in empty voting or had otherwise
communicated with RTW about its trading and voting. Those omissions were
materially false and misleading, as they failed to disclose that Mr. Kiani (i) was
aware of RTW’s empty voting, (ii) was aiding and encouraging RTW’s empty voting
and (iii) had regularly communicated with RTW during the period in which it was
engaging in empty voting. Notably, the Company also omitted that same
information in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC, rendering its
discussion of RTW’s empty voting materially false and misleading.3
82. The Board, having publicly dismissed Politan’s concerns,
refused to even meet to discuss empty voting. Indeed, the Board meeting that
Masimo’s general counsel and Mr. Reynolds had referenced never occurred.
83. Instead, the Board and Masimo continued attacking Politan for
raising the issue and proposing solutions, as demonstrated by their press release on
3
Masimo Corp., Definitive Proxy Statement (Schedule 14A), at 24 (Aug. 15, 2024). |
| 32
the morning of Thursday, July 11, 2024, titled “Masimo Exposes Politan’s
Governance Hypocrisy,” which criticized Politan for having “formally requested the
Board invalidate a properly-noticed record date to disenfranchise a large shareholder
who had voted against Politan’s slate.”
84. On July 12, 2024, Politan wrote to the Board again, requesting
that Masimo “demand that RTW abstain from voting any shares that exceed its
economic interest—or set a record date that would allow stockholders to vote
promptly in a fair election untainted by empty voting.”
85. On July 15, 2024, Masimo issued a press release responding to
Politan’s assertions regarding empty voting, among other things. The Company
asserted that Masimo did not engage in empty voting but omitted any reference to
the fact that Mr. Kiani was aware of, and indeed aided and encouraged, RTW’s
empty voting.
86. Mr. Kiani’s actions in secretly working with RTW to manipulate
the stockholder vote and then concealing those actions from Masimo’s stockholders
plainly violate multiple provisions of the securities laws and constitute a breach of
his duty of loyalty. |
| 33
J. Both Major Proxy Advisory Firms Recommend Politan’s Nominees
87. On July 11, 2024, leading proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis
issued what CNBC described as a “scathing” report recommending that Masimo’s
stockholders vote for both of Politan’s nominees at the Annual Meeting.
88. Then, on July 15, 2024, just two business days later, ISS, the
other leading independent proxy advisory firm, in an opinion CNBC described as
“brutal,” joined Glass Lewis in recommending that Masimo’s stockholders vote for
both of Politan’s nominees at the Annual Meeting.
K. The Board Moves the Annual Meeting to September 19, 2024 and Sets in
Motion a Scheme to Invalidate Politan’s Nomination Notice
89. In a transparent reaction to Politan’s nominees receiving the
recommendation of both leading proxy advisory firms, Mr. Kiani called a Board
meeting for July 15, 2024, the same day that ISS issued its report. At that meeting,
which lasted a mere 12 minutes, the Board voted to: (i) re-set the record date for
August 12, 2024 (the “August 12th Record Date”); (ii) delay the Annual Meeting
until September 19, 2024, in violation of 8 Del. C. § 211(c) and Article I, Section
1(1) of Masimo’s Bylaws; and (iii) file the California Action against Politan, Mr.
Koffey, Ms. Brennan, and Politan’s nominees (among others).
90. Masimo’s complaint in the California Action, filed that same
day, asserted a claim under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act that |
| 34
Politan’s proxy materials contain false and misleading statements and fail to disclose
material information necessary to make the statements not misleading, and three
claims under Delaware law. (CA Compl. ¶¶ 226-236.)
91. The cornerstone of Masimo’s California complaint was a false
and defamatory allegation that Mr. Koffey allegedly “has been secretly collaborating
with certain plaintiffs’ lawyers [at Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP
(‘Wolf Haldenstein’)] in [securities] litigation against Masimo’s Board” (the
“Conspiracy Allegation”). (Id. ¶¶ 250-260.) The Conspiracy Allegation was based
solely on information purportedly provided by two confidential witnesses (id. ¶ 103),
92. The Conspiracy Allegation formed the sole basis of Count IV of
Masimo’s complaint, which asserts a claim against Politan under Delaware law for
breach of the Bylaws. (Id. ¶ 257.) Specifically, Masimo alleged that, by failing to
disclose the Conspiracy Allegation in its Nomination Notice, Politan violated Article
I, Section 1(4)(a) of the Bylaws, which provides, in relevant part, that a nomination
notice must disclose: “as to each person whom the Record Stockholder [i.e., Politan]
proposes to nominate for election or reelection as a director, all information relating |
| 35
to such person as would be required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies …
pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Exchange Act . . .” (Id. ¶¶ 209, 255 (quoting
Bylaws, Art I, § 1(4)(a)).)
93. Based on that purported violation of the Bylaws, Masimo asked
the California federal court to declare that “the Nomination Notice does not comply
with Masimo’s Bylaws.” (CA Compl. at 69.)
94. Masimo also asserted, but did not ask the court to decide, that the
chairman of the Annual Meeting—not coincidentally, Mr. Kiani—“has the authority
under the Bylaws to declare that such ‘nomination shall not be presented for
stockholder action at the meeting and shall be disregarded.’” (Id. ¶ 259 (quoting
Bylaws, Art. I, §1(4)(c)(v)).)
95. On July 19, 2024, Masimo filed a preliminary injunction motion
(the “PI Motion”) seeking an order (i) requiring Politan to make corrective
disclosures to its proxy materials and (ii) enjoining Politan from voting proxies
solicited based on the proxy materials and from soliciting any further proxies until
corrective disclosure are made. The PI Motion did not seek any ruling, or any relief,
on Masimo’s claims under Delaware law. Masimo supplemented its PI Motion on
August 23, 2024. |
| 36
96. Over the course of five weeks of expedited discovery in the
California Action, Politan conclusively disproved the Conspiracy Allegation: (i)
every participant in the alleged conduct—including Mr. Koffey and Mark Rifkin,
Wolf Haldenstein’s Managing Partner—denied it under oath, (ii) there were no
communications whatsoever between the alleged participants, and (iii) discovery
revealed that the alleged confidential witnesses on whose statements the Conspiracy
Allegation rested do not exist.
97. Faced with the fact that the sole basis on which it had asserted
that the Nomination Notice was invalid—the Conspiracy Allegation—had been
conclusively disproven, Masimo concocted a wholly new theory that any violation
of Section 14(a) rendered the Nomination Notice invalid.
98. Specifically, on August 26, 2024, Masimo filed an amended
complaint in the California Action which identifies five categories of purported
Section 14(a) violations that it asserts render the Nomination Notice invalid: (i) the
Conspiracy Allegation, on which Masimo continues to rely to support its
Nomination Notice claim despite effectively excising it from the rest of the amended
complaint; (ii) Mr. Koffey’s purported false statements concerning the potential
spin-off of Masimo’s consumer business to an entity controlled by Mr. Kiani; (iii)
Mr. Koffey’s purported false statements concerning the JV; (iv) Mr. Koffey’s and |
| 37
Ms. Brennan’s purported false statements that they were not properly onboarded as
directors and lacked sufficient information to sign the Company’s annual and
quarterly reports; and (v) purported false statements concerning the Board’s
oversight of a process for a potential whole sale of the Company. (CA Amended
Compl. ¶ 309.)
99. Notably, Masimo cannot credibly argue that Politan’s alleged
violations of Section 14(a) deprived stockholders of the information needed to make
an informed choice at the Annual Meeting. Masimo routinely has issued press
releases throughout the proxy contest responding to virtually every single
purportedly false and misleading statement for which it seeks relief in the California
Action, including: “Masimo Responds to Politan Capital’s Nomination of Director
Candidates and Refutes Politan’s False Claims” (April 1, 2024); “Masimo Provides
Facts in Response to Politan’s False Narrative” (June 20, 2024); “Masimo Provides
Facts, Exposes False Narratives in Response to Latest Politan Fictions” (July 2,
2024); “Masimo Exposes Politan’s Governance Hypocrisy” (July 11, 2024); and
“Masimo Responds to Politan’s Continuing Misrepresentations” (July 15, 2024). In
the aggregate, those press releases, if printed, amount to 25 pages.
100. Moreover, Politan has made four supplemental disclosures since
Masimo commenced the California Action, supplementing its proxy statement three |
| 38
times and amending its Schedule 13D once. In those disclosures, Politan described
the allegations in the complaint or amended complaint in the California Action, as
applicable, denied those allegations, and attached a copy of the relevant pleading.
As such, Masimo’s stockholders are fully informed as to the relevant facts in dispute
and Masimo’s allegations, and they are more than capable of deciding for themselves
which side’s story to believe.
101. Nevertheless, Masimo has taken the position that, if the
California court finds that Masimo is likely to succeed on any aspect of its Section
14(a) claim, Mr. Kiani has the authority to reject Politan’s Nomination Notice at the
Annual Meeting. That position is consistent with Defendants’ counsel’s
representation to this Court at the August 19, 2024 hearing that Mr. Kiani will have
the power to reject the Nomination Notice at the annual meeting if the California
court “finds a likely violation of Section 14(a).” (Aug. 19, 2024 Hearing Tr. at 64:5-
12.)
102. It would be manifestly inequitable for Mr. Kiani to invalidate the
Nomination Notice based on a violation of Section 14(a) that Politan can cure with
corrective disclosures, especially given the passage of time, the total mix of
information available to stockholders and that Mr. Kiani has omitted material
information about his collusion with RTW to manipulate the stockholder vote. |
| 39
L. Data Available to Politan Strongly Indicates That RTW is Again
Engaging in Empty Voting
103. Shortly after the August 12th Record Date, Politan obtained data
that raises concerns that empty voting is again taking place. Specifically, as with
the earlier instance of empty voting, both short interest and trading volume in
Masimo’s stock spiked in the days leading up to the record date. Indeed, short
interest spiked to an even greater extent than last time—and, just like last time, it
returned to normal levels soon after the record date.
104. Then, on August 21, DTCC reported that over four million
Masimo shares were voted early in favor of Mr. Kiani’s director slate. Those votes
were mysteriously revoked by the voting stockholder on August 26, 2024, which is
extraordinarily unusual—typically a vote is changed merely by submitting a new
vote which has the operative effect of cancelling the prior vote.
105. Based on its research, Politan has determined that 864,805 of the
shares voted on August 21 were custodied with Bank of America Securities and |
| 40
represent a confirmed RTW position. Indeed, the custody accounts where all the
voted shares reside are known custodians of RTW, according to RTW’s Form ADV
filed with the SEC. Further, all the votes that were revoked on August 26 were
attributed to a single stockholder. Therefore, on information and belief, RTW is the
stockholder that voted and revoked over four million shares.
106. On further information and belief, RTW revoked its vote and
plans to either vote those shares bit by bit leading up to the Annual Meeting—to
better conceal its empty voting—or all at once right before the Annual Meeting—to
prevent Politan from having time to seek any remedial action before the vote.
107. Given his regular communication with RTW and active
involvement in RTW’s last empty voting scheme, it is likely that Mr. Kiani is once
again involved in RTW’s inequitable manipulation of the stockholder vote.
DEMAND FUTILITY ALLEGATIONS
108. All the claims asserted herein are direct claims because they seek
redress for injury to the stockholder franchise arising from Defendants’ improper
entrenchment of the Board.
109. If and to the extent that any of Politan’s claims are not, in whole
or in part, direct claims, Politan brings such claims derivatively in the right and for
the benefit of Masimo. |
| 41
110. Politan was a stockholder of Masimo at the time of all the
wrongdoing described herein, has continually been a stockholder since such times,
and is currently a stockholder.
111. Politan has not made a demand on Masimo’s Board to institute
any action relating hereto because such a demand would be futile. Demand would
be futile because, at a minimum, there exists a reasonable doubt about whether a
majority of Masimo’s Board is sufficiently disinterested and independent to
objectively consider a demand. To the extent that any conduct alleged herein is
construed as a demand, any such demand has been wrongfully refused.
112. As alleged herein, demand is excused for any claims that could
be brought derivatively because:
• The Director Defendants have acted for the primary
purpose of entrenching themselves in office; and
• The Director Defendants face a substantial likelihood of
personal liability for the claims asserted herein.
COUNT I
(Breach of Fiduciary Duties –
Interfering with the Stockholder Franchise)
113. Politan repeats and realleges each of the allegations in the
paragraphs above as if fully set forth herein.
114. The Director Defendants owe Masimo’s stockholders, including
Politan, uncompromising fiduciary duties of loyalty and good faith. |
| 42
115. The Director Defendants abused their positions and misused the
corporate machinery to impede the exercise of the stockholder franchise and
entrench themselves in office by, among other things: (i) delaying the Annual
Meeting by nearly two months, from July 25, 2024 to September 19, 2024; (ii)
seeking to invalidate Politan’s Nomination Notice by filing a sham lawsuit in the
Central District of California; and (iii) knowingly facilitating (in Mr. Kiani’s case),
or failing to take any action to remedy (in the case of Messrs. Reynolds and Chapek)
empty voting by RTW, which seeks to inequitably manipulate the stockholder vote
in Mr. Kiani’s favor.
116. The Director Defendants’ decision to delay the Annual Meeting
by nearly two months was a transparent effort to buy time for Mr. Kiani to engage
in further manipulation of the stockholder franchise in a last-ditch attempt to avoid
certain defeat for himself and Mr. Chavez at the Annual Meeting. Mr. Kiani has
taken full advantage of that extra time.
117. First, Mr. Kiani caused Masimo to file a frivolous lawsuit against
Politan in federal court, which seeks, among other things, a declaration that Politan’s
Nomination Notice does not comply with Masimo’s Bylaws. While Masimo
initially based that claim entirely on the Conspiracy Allegation, it now takes the |
| 43
position that any finding by the court of a likely Section 14(a) violation renders the
Nomination Notice invalid.
118. Second, on information and belief, Mr. Kiani is once again
encouraging and facilitating RTW’s apparent attempt to manipulate the stockholder
vote by engaging in empty voting.
119. The Director Defendants have no justification, much less a
compelling justification, for a two-month delay of the Annual Meeting, at which
they are well aware there is a substantial likelihood that a majority of the shares will
be voted to elect Politan’s two nominees, thereby dislodging Mr. Kiani from control
of the Company and rendering a majority of the Board truly independent for the first
time in Masimo’s history.
120. Any argument that delaying the Annual Meeting was necessary
to remedy the empty voting issues that Mr. Kiani has caused is mere pretext.
121. The Director Defendants’ actions were calculated to perpetuate
themselves in office. Politan’s proxy solicitation poses no threat to the Company’s
corporate policy or effectiveness. Moreover, the Director Defendants’ actions lack
any reasonable connection to any proper corporate purpose. |
| 44
122. The Director Defendants’ misuse of the corporate machinery to
impede the exercise of the stockholder franchise and entrench themselves in office
constitutes a clear violation of their fiduciary duties under Delaware law.
123. Absent relief from the Court, Politan and Masimo’s other
stockholders will be irreparably harmed by the Defendants’ interference with the
stockholder franchise and the loss of the stockholders’ right to freely elect directors
to determine the future direction of the Company and how best to maximize the value
of its assets.
124. Politan has no adequate remedy at law.
COUNT II
(Violation of 8 Del. C. § 211(c) and Masimo’s Bylaws)
125. Politan repeats and realleges each of the allegations in the
paragraphs above as if fully set forth herein.
126. Section 211(c) of the Delaware General Corporation Law
provides, in relevant part, that “[i]f there be a failure to hold the annual meeting or
to take action by written consent to elect directors in lieu of an annual meeting for a
period of 30 days after the date designated for the annual meeting, or if no date has
been designated, for a period of 13 months after the latest to occur of the organization
of the corporation, its last annual meeting or the last action by written consent to |
| 45
elect directors in lieu of an annual meeting, the Court of Chancery may summarily
order a meeting to be held upon the application of any stockholder or director.”
127. Moreover, the Company’s Bylaws require that the date of an
annual meeting “shall be within 13 months of the last annual meeting of
stockholders.” (Bylaws, Art. I, Sect. 1(1).)
128. The Company has not held an annual meeting of stockholders for
the election of directors since June 26, 2023, nor has it elected directors by written
consent in lieu of an annual meeting, in accordance with 8 Del. C. § 211(b).
129. In a brazen act of entrenchment, on July 15, 2024, the Director
Defendants caused the Company to delay the Annual Meeting from July 25, 2024 to
September 19, 2024. The newly-set Annual Meeting date is approximately fifteen
months after the Company’s 2023 annual meeting.
130. Given the Director Defendants’ repeated attempts to manipulate
the corporate machinery and impede the stockholder franchise, Politan is justifiably
concerned that the Company may seek to further adjourn or postpone the Annual
Meeting, which will already be months overdue if held on September 19, 2024.
131. Under 8 Del. C. § 211(c), Politan is entitled to an order
summarily directing the Company to hold the Annual Meeting as soon as possible,
without further adjournment or postponement (unless permitted by the Court), for |
| 46
the purpose of holding an election for directors. Politan is also entitled to an order
setting appropriate procedures for the conduct of the Annual Meeting.
COUNT III
(Declaratory Judgment – Validity of Politan’s Nominations)
132. Politan repeats and realleges each of the allegations in the
paragraphs above as if fully set forth herein.
133. On Monday, March 25, 2024, Politan submitted the Nomination
Notice, pursuant to which it nominated Dr. Solomon and Mr. Jellison for election to
Masimo’s Board at the Annual Meeting. The Nomination Notice complied with all
applicable provisions of Masimo’s Bylaws. The Company did not raise any
objection at the time that the Nomination Notice was invalid or deficient, and both
Politan and the Company have been conducting a proxy contest for months based on
the Nomination Notice.
134. However, after it became apparent that Politan’s nominees would
prevail at the Annual Meeting, Mr. Kiani and the Director Defendants caused
Masimo to file a frivolous lawsuit against Politan, Mr. Koffey, Ms. Brennan, Dr.
Solomon, and Mr. Jellison, among others, in federal court. Masimo’s complaint in
that action falsely alleges, among other things, that the Nomination Notice does not
comply with Masimo’s Bylaws. |
| 47
135. Under Masimo’s Bylaws, “[t]he chairman of the meeting shall
have the power and the duty to determine whether a nomination or any business
proposed to be brought before the meeting has been made in accordance with the
procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is
not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defectively proposed
business or nomination shall not be presented for stockholder action at the meeting
and shall be disregarded.” (Bylaws Art. I, Sect. 1(4)(c)(v).)
136. Mr. Kiani and the other Director Defendants have asserted that
the chairman of the Annual Meeting has the authority to invalidate the Nomination
Notice at the Annual Meeting based on the pretext that it purportedly contains
material misstatements.
137. By invalidating the Nomination Notice at the Annual Meeting,
the Director Defendants intend to wrongfully strip Politan of its right to nominate
candidates for election to the Board and deprive Masimo’s stockholders of any
opportunity to eliminate Mr. Kiani’s continued control of Masimo.
138. Moreover, regardless of whether Mr. Kiani, as chairman of the
Annual Meeting, possesses the authority under Masimo’s Bylaws to invalidate
Politan’s Nomination Notice, it would be manifestly inequitable for him to do so
based on purportedly false and misleading statements and omissions in Politan’s |
| 48
proxy filings, especially where the information at issue already has been made
available to stockholders (in some cases for months) and those deficiencies have
been or could be cured by the issuance of corrective disclosures.
139. Politan has no adequate remedy at law.
140. Given that (i) Masimo failed to raise any objection to the
Nomination Notice at the time Politan submitted it or for months thereafter while
the parties relied on the Nomination Notice to solicit proxies and only raised an
objection when it became apparent that Politan’s nominees would prevail at the
Annual Meeting, and (ii) at most, Masimo can point to a technical defect in Politan’s
Nomination Notice, which Politan can cure with corrective disclosures, Politan is
entitled to an order declaring that the Company and the Director Defendants are
estopped from rejecting the Nomination Notice at the Annual Meeting.
COUNT IV
(Declaratory Judgment – Empty Voting)
141. Politan repeats and realleges each of the allegations in the
paragraphs above as if fully set forth herein.
142. Before Defendants wrongfully acted to delay the Annual
Meeting, RTW had engaged in brazen empty voting in an attempt to manipulate the
stockholder vote in Mr. Kiani’s favor. Mr. Kiani had full knowledge of RTW’s
actions and, indeed, both encouraged and facilitated its empty voting. |
| 49
143. Data available to Politan strongly suggests that RTW is once
again engaging in empty voting. Upon information and belief, Mr. Kiani is once
again actively encouraging and facilitating RTW’s attempt to manipulate the
stockholder vote and secure a victory for Mr. Kiani.
144. RTW has, at most, a 2.8% economic interest in Masimo. Yet,
through the use of empty voting, it had voting power that is more than triple its
economic interests (approximately 9.9%).
145. As a result of its empty voting activity as described herein, Mr.
Kiani and RTW manipulated the stockholder vote by (i) causing RTW to vote
millions of shares for which it has no economic interest in favor of Messrs. Kiani
and Chavez and (ii) simultaneously reducing the voting power of other large Masimo
stockholders (particularly BlackRock).
146. While the impact of that manipulation was ameliorated when the
Board re-set the record date and delayed the Annual Meeting, data available to
Politan strongly suggests that Mr. Kiani and RTW are engaged in the same
manipulative conduct in advance of the September 19th Annual Meeting.
147. To the extent RTW’s empty vote (i.e., the difference between the
shares it votes and the shares for which it has an economic interest) causes Messrs. |
| 50
Kiani and/or Chavez to prevail at the Annual Meeting, such result will effectively
disenfranchise all Masimo stockholders, thereby causing harm.
148. Politan has no adequate remedy at law.
149. In the event Masimo’s stockholders are disenfranchised by
RTW’s empty vote, Politan is entitled to an order declaring that any votes cast by
RTW that exceed RTW’s economic interest in the Company are invalid.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Politan respectfully requests that the Court enter an
Order granting the following relief:
(i) Determining that the Director Defendants breached their
fiduciary duties by (a) moving the Annual Meeting from July 25,
2024 to September 19, 2024, (b) filing the frivolous California
Action against Politan, and (c) knowingly facilitating, or failing
to take any action to remedy, RTW’s manipulation of the
stockholder vote;
(ii) Directing the Company to hold the Annual Meeting on
September 19, 2024 and setting appropriate procedures for the
Annual Meeting, pursuant to 8 Del. C. § 211(c);
(iii) Declaring that the Company and the Director Defendants are
estopped from rejecting Politan’s Nomination Notice at the
Annual Meeting;
(iv) To the extent RTW’s empty vote is disenfranchising, declaring
that any votes cast by RTW that exceed RTW’s economic
interest in the Company are invalid;
(v) Awarding Politan its costs and expenses in bringing and
prosecuting this action, including its attorneys’ fees; and |
| 51
(vi) Granting such other and further relief as the Court deems just and
proper.
OF COUNSEL:
Michael E. Swartz
Frank W. Olander
SCHULTE ROTH & ZABEL LLP
919 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(212) 756-2000
Nishal R. Ramphal
CADWALADER, WICKERSHAM &
TAFT LLP
200 Liberty Street,
New York, NY 10281
(212) 504-6000
MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT &
TUNNELL LLP
/s/ John P. DiTomo
John P. DiTomo (#4850)
Alexandra M. Cumings (#6146)
Alec F. Hoeschel (#7066)
Louis Masi (#7233)
1201 N. Market Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 658-9200
jditimo@morrisnichols.com
acumings@morrisnichols.com
ahoeschel@morrisnichols.com
lmasi@morrisnichols.com
Attorneys for Politan Capital
Management LP
September 3, 2024 |
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The information
herein contains “forward-looking statements.” Specific forward-looking statements can be identified by the fact that they
do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and include, without limitation, words such as “may,” “will,”
“expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “estimates,” “projects,”
“potential,” “targets,” “forecasts,” “seeks,” “could,” “should”
or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms or comparable terminology. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives,
plans or goals are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties and assumptions. There
can be no assurance that any idea or assumption herein is, or will be proven, correct. If one or more of the risks or uncertainties materialize,
or if any of the underlying assumptions of Politan Capital Management LP (“Politan”) or any of the other participants in
the proxy solicitation described herein prove to be incorrect, the actual results may vary materially from outcomes indicated by these
statements. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Politan that the future plans, estimates
or expectations contemplated will ever be achieved.
Certain statements
and information included herein may have been sourced from third parties. Politan does not make any representations regarding the accuracy,
completeness or timeliness of such third party statements or information. Except as may be expressly set forth herein, permission to
cite such statements or information has neither been sought nor obtained from such third parties. Any such statements or information
should not be viewed as an indication of support from such third parties for the views expressed herein.
Politan disclaims
any obligation to update the information herein or to disclose the results of any revisions that may be made to any projected results
or forward-looking statements herein to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such information, projected results or statements
or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events.
CERTAIN INFORMATION
CONCERNING THE PARTICIPANTS
Politan and the
other Participants (as defined below) have filed a definitive proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card or voting instruction
form with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) to be used to solicit proxies for, among other matters, the
election of its slate of director nominees at the 2024 annual stockholders meeting (the “2024 Annual Meeting”) of Masimo
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“Masimo”). Shortly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the SEC, Politan
furnished the definitive proxy statement and accompanying WHITE universal proxy card or voting instruction form to some or all of the
stockholders entitled to vote at the 2024 Annual Meeting.
The participants
in the proxy solicitation are Politan, Politan Capital Management GP LLC (“Politan Management”), Politan Capital Partners
GP LLC (“Politan GP”), Politan Capital NY LLC (the “Record Stockholder”), Politan Intermediate Ltd., Politan
Capital Partners Master Fund LP (“Politan Master Fund”), Politan Capital Partners LP (“Politan LP”), Politan
Capital Offshore Partners LP (“Politan Offshore” and, collectively with Politan Master Fund and Politan LP, the “Politan
Funds”), Quentin Koffey, Matthew Hall, Aaron Kapito (all of the foregoing persons, collectively, the “Politan Parties”),
William Jellison and Darlene Solomon (such individuals, collectively with the Politan Parties, the “Participants”).
As of the date
hereof, the Politan Parties in this solicitation collectively own an aggregate of 4,713,518 shares (the “Politan Group Shares”)
of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Masimo (the “Common Stock”). Mr. Koffey may be deemed to own an aggregate
of 4,714,746 shares of Common Stock (the “Koffey Shares”), which consists of 1,228 restricted stock units that vested on
June 26, 2024 as well as the Politan Group Shares. Politan, as the investment adviser to the Politan Funds, may be deemed to have
the shared power to vote or direct the vote of (and the shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of) the Politan Group Shares,
and, therefore, Politan may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of all of the Politan Group Shares. The Record Stockholder is the direct
and record owner of 1,000 shares of Common Stock that comprise part of the Politan Group Shares. Both the Politan Group Shares and the
Koffey Shares represent approximately 8.9% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock based on 53,478,694 shares of Common Stock outstanding
as of August 12, 2024, as reported in Masimo’s revised definitive proxy statement filed on August 15, 2024. As the general
partner of Politan, Politan Management may be deemed to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of (and the shared power to
dispose or direct the disposition of) all of the Politan Group Shares and, therefore, Politan Management may be deemed to be the beneficial
owner of all of the Politan Group Shares. As the general partner of the Politan Funds, Politan GP may be deemed to have the shared power
to vote or to direct the vote of (and the shared power to dispose or direct the disposition of) all of the Politan Group Shares, and
therefore Politan GP may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of all of the Politan Group Shares. Mr. Koffey, including by virtue
of his position as the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Politan and as the Managing Member of Politan Management and
Politan GP, may be deemed to have the shared power to vote or direct the vote of (and the shared power to dispose or direct the disposition
of) all of the Koffey Shares.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
AND WHERE TO FIND IT
POLITAN STRONGLY
ADVISES ALL STOCKHOLDERS OF MASIMO TO READ ITS DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO SUCH PROXY STATEMENT AND
OTHER PROXY MATERIALS FILED BY POLITAN WITH THE SEC AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. SUCH PROXY
MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE ON THE SEC’S WEBSITE AT WWW.SEC.GOV. THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT
DOCUMENTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE SEC WEBSITE, FREE OF CHARGE, OR BY DIRECTING A REQUEST TO THE PARTICIPANTS’ PROXY SOLICITOR,
D.F. KING & CO., INC., 48 WALL STREET, 22ND FLOOR, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10005 STOCKHOLDERS CAN CALL TOLL-FREE: (888) 628-8208.
Investor Contact
D.F. King &
Co., Inc.
Edward McCarthy
emccarthy@dfking.com
Media Contacts
Dan Zacchei / Joe
Germani
Longacre Square
Partners
dzacchei@longacresquare.com
/ jgermani@longacresquare.com
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