GOOD GAME: Musk’s montessori play, Google’s antitrust, and woke-free zones, plus unfettered board intelligence

Live from the cubicle in the basement of the one Vanguard analyst who suggested voting NO on something, it’s an all-new terrific Tuesday edition of Business Pants. Joined by Ari The Data Queen and Hazlenut Rallis, I’m your AnalystHole Matt Moscardi, in today’s fiduciary duty called August 6, 2024: The Cynical Good Game!

Our show today is being sponsored by Free Float Analytics, the only platform measuring board power, connections, and performance for FREE. 

MATT1

Good Game

COULD BE GOOD?

1. Scientists Use Nanoparticles to Remote Control Brains of Mice

1. Better than AI?

1. DR: 3

2. AB: 6

2. Elon Musk is opening a Montessori school in Texas this fall

1. Wokest kind of school there is?

1. DR: 0

2. AB: 0

PROBABLY GOOD?

1. Americans are growing more worried about extreme heat

1. They actually know it’s hot?

1. DR: 6

2. AB: 3

2. North Carolina AG office eyes Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC after voter data complaint

1. He can’t break ALL the rules?

1. DR: 6

2. AB: 7

3. New Pair of Pants Has a Built-In Powered Exoskeleton

1. If you can’t get Ozempic?... 

1. DR: 6

2. AB: 7

DEFINITELY GOOD?

1. Anti-ESG Proposal Surged in 2024 But Earned Less Support

1. DR: 10

2. AB: 8

2. Biden administration will ban federal government using plastic cutlery to combat climate change 

1. DR: 8

2. AB: 5

3. Millionaire sportswear businessman flies ‘woke-free zone’ flag over HQ and… Woke-free zone' flag at company HQ forced to be pulled down after failing to get planning permission

1. DR: 10

2. AB: 10

4. Women will soon have more money than men for the first time in history—and they’re following the MacKenzie Scott and Melinda Gates playbook

1. DR: 10

2. AB: 10

5. Google loses its massive antitrust case against the DOJ

1. DR: 8

2. AB: 10

List of the Week

Unfettered Board Intelligence

SMART

• 100% of directors have advanced degrees

• Largest core knowledge NOT finance (ie, not a bunch of MBAs)

UNFETTERED

• They are not connected through other boards or direct affiliations

• the CEO has limited influence

• the board isn’t full of ex or current CEOs at other companies (they’re academic/research/medical/etc)

SIX US companies made the list… 

• Health Catalyst

• 7 directors

• Medicine, econ, psychology, therapy, biology

• 43% women, big power gap (-17%)

• 29% cur/ex CEOs, insider influence at 52%, but at least they’re SMART insiders

• 99% starters, strong earnings

• Avantor

• 10 directors

• Medicine, biology

• 40% ex/current CEOs, 20% insiders, 30% women with basically no power gap

• Rotation players are 94% of board

• Willdan Group

• 7 directors

• Law, engineering/tech, computers

• 29% women with big power gap (-14%), 14% insiders

• Rotation players

• Oshkosh Corporation

• 10 directors

• Building/construction, econ, mechanical, law

• 20% women with small power gap, 55% influence of CEOs, only 10% insiders

• Rotation players

• Editas Medicine

• 9 directors

• Medicine, biology, econ/finance

• 33% cur/ex CEOs, 44% women with no power gap!

• Rotation players, but 28% All Stars with best performance in TSR

• AUDIT committee has the most power?? 51% influence!

• Insulet Corporation

• Medicine, biology, law, psychology

• 33% CEO influence, 22% insiders on board, 44% women with -17% power gap

• Oligopoly, 85% All Stars on the board