One of the repercussions of the mortgage meltdown was the subsequent scrutiny of the bond rating agencies, including S&P. Claims were made that the rating agencies ignored bond risks and overstated the quality of certain bonds so that the agencies would earn more fees from the increased volume of bonds they reviewed and rated. Because those companies issuing bonds would not patronize the agencies that did not endorse the bonds issued, the agencies did not properly police the quality and reliability of the bonds. In the ensuing collapse, numerous federal and state agencies pointed fingers at the rating agencies and launched investigations into the agencies’ business practices. This setting provides the basis for this action.
Under State statute, in certain circumstances, a shareholder of a corporation is allowed to review the corporation’s books and records. Forcing compliance requires a lawsuit, but it is more streamlined than a typical lawsuit and the issues before the court are narrow. The documents to be provided under statute are limited, but a judge has the authority under common law, meaning laws developed over time by the courts, to provide more information than what the statutes allow.
In the S&P case, the shareholders, an individual and a retirement fund, sought access to S&P’s books and records. The shareholders claimed that they were entitled to review a host of S&P’s internal business records to determine how S&P conducted its business and whether management acted improperly (one wonders if the damage to S&P’s stock price had something to do with these demands). S&P disagreed that the shareholders were permitted access to the extensive list of documents demanded, and agreed to provide only the limited information allowed under the statutes.
The Appellate Division, First Department, sided with the shareholders. The court held that so long as the shareholders’ purpose behind their demands were legitimate and reasonable, S&P could not refuse their requests. Thus, S&P was forced to provide access to the broader list of documents and information allowed under common law and could not hide behind the narrow provisions of the statutes.
Retirement Plan of Gen. Empls. of City of N. Miami Beach v. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.