Tracking or Targeted Stocks

In addition to common stock, companies may issue what is known as tracking or targeted stock. For example, a large automaker that acquired a company in the computer industry issued a tracking stock that tracked the performance of the acquired company once it began operating as a division of the automaker.

Electronic Shareholder Meetings

Section 211(a)(2) of Delaware's General Corporation Law provides that the board of directors in its sole discretion may authorize stockholders and holders of proxies to participate in and vote at an annual meeting even if not physically present at the meeting. The stockholders and proxy holders may be considered present at the meeting whether the meeting is held at a particular place or virtually and "solely by means of remote communication" if:

The Duty of Directors and Officers Regarding Corporate Opportunities

The corporate opportunity doctrine provides that corporate directors and officers have an obligation not to take personal advantage of opportunities that may be to the advantage of their corporation. The doctrine follows from the duty of loyalty of directors and officers to the corporation.

Anti-Competitive Discrimination By Sellers Under the Clayton Act

The federal Clayton Act contains prohibitions against various specific anti-competitive practices and is designed to supplement the broad prohibitions of the Sherman Act against anti-competitive agreements and monopolization. Section 2 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C.S. § 13, as amended by the Robinson-Patman Act, specifically prohibits discrimination in the price of commodities or in commissions, allowances, services, or facilities if such discrimination is anti-competitive.

Application of the De Facto Merger Doctrine to Acquisition of Corporate Assets

Companies which otherwise are attractive acquisition targets may have contingent liabilities that are difficult to assess. For example, a paint manufacturer may have used ingredients that later prove to be toxic. Present and future liability of the manufacturer for damages from sales of products with those ingredients may be anticipated, but the scope and cost of that liability may be too difficult to determine to support an acquisition value for the manufacturer.