Annual meetings also serve no purpose for big investors, who get their own private access to corporate executives. It's the one chance that the small investor gets to ask questions, voice praise or displeasure and let the chief executive see someone in the real world who might be a customer as well as a shareholder. Provided, of course, that shareholders take advantage of the opportunity. That trend just gives CEOs one more excuse to jettison the annual meeting. All right, so shareholders should ask more questions.
Current events are always good sources of questions.
All right, you don't want Weyerhaeuser around. Your stock contains a takeover speculation premium that would evaporate if you're successful in thwarting its bid. His column appears Mondays and Wednesdays. Free to list. Immediate on-line results.