Rakon says director fees, MD pay frozen pending $25m ebitda target
BUSINESSDESK: Rakon's board of directors will not get an individual fee increase until the company's pre-tax earnings almost double to $25 million and managing director Brent Robinson has agreed to a pay freeze on the same terms, chairman Bryan Mogridge says.
"We admit our performance hasn't been good especially when compared to where it has dropped to now from the overbid highs of 2007," he told shareholders at their annual meeting today.
Rakon shares rose 2.3% to 45 cents today, trading at just a 12th of their value in November 2007. The stock is rated "outperform" based on a Reuters survey of four analysts, with a price target of 66 cents.
Last month the company forecast pre-tax earnings of $14 million to $16 million for the year ending March 31, 2013, up from $13.1 million last year, when earnings almost halved.
"I recognise that the current situation annoys those investors who want to produce quarterly gains, but in the current economic climate Rakon is unlikely to do that for you," Mr Mogridge said.
"The board collectively owning more than 30% of Rakon would naturally like that situation to be reversed and we are demanding of management to achieve growth."
The freeze on directors' fees excludes the increase being sought at today's meeting to $360,000 from $300,000 a year, allowing the company to add Peter Springford as an independent director.
Mr Mogridge also reserved some criticism for Rakon's shareholders, commentators and the NZ Shareholders Association, saying they were quick to offer advice whether asked for or not.
"Some of it is helpful but a large percentage is not and often reflects a serious misunderstanding about the business that we own together and what it does, what its strategies are and the potential that it has," he said.
He responded to specific criticism, including the prevalence of members of founder Warren Robinson's family.
"Brent Robinson is CEO with 33 years' experience, Darren is the marketing director with 22 years' experience and Warren is the founder with 45 years' experience," he said. "In this industry, clearly experience is essential for long term success."
He said of criticism of the board status of Darren Robinson: "The board's view is that it is critical to have the commitment of the marketing director around the board table and, to be purely mercenary about, it he doesn't get paid any extra for being a director, he just takes on more risk."
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Comments and questions6
How generous of Brent to take a pay freeze - only a mere $800k a year running a small NZ technology company that is struggling to compete and Darren stuck on a mere $650k to run sales and marketing.
Maybe I shouldn't feel so bad about the $50k Iv'e lost and focus on the long term as were told - not the 4 years Iv'e already been waiting!
Mogridge is a name all to common with struggling companies and low share prices. PGC any one?
The board of Rakon need to acknowledge that other NZ company's who are equally exposed to the international climate have performed well but often only after they have recognised the weakness's of their own board and made the necessary changes, Skellerup's to name but one.
Secondly, there is no logic in Mogridges comments about the experience of the Robinson brothers, they only got the jobs they have because they are their fathers son's and that does not mean they are the best choice, they almost certainly are not as the companies pedestrian progress clearly shows.
..and of course the CFO/COO was also being blighted by this collective c--p. Not a brand that's good for your CV.
What about you Pablo ? Any pearls of wisdom to add ?
The comments by Mogridge are nothing short of a joke. Firstly, shareholders would ease up offering advice if the company performed....simple as that. Stop missing your forecast targets, make some executive changes and get on with the job. Darren Robinson taking home 650k for Marketing and sales would easily put him in the top five if not even higher as best paid Head of Marketing in NZ...and Rakon has a market cap of just over 80 million....and whats the share price been?
Has he taken a pay cut to match Rakons performance slide....no! Has his brothers pay packet been reduced inline with market performance....no! This pay frezze should have happened along time ago....and of course the Robinson brothers are happy to have their pay frozen at todays levels....they have made out like bandits! Best share holders can hope for is a takeover.