Big news from Big Mouse, as the former heir apparent to Bog Iger’s CEO chair—Thomas Staggs—is stepping down, throwing a wrench into Disney’s succession plans (which came under great scrutiny after a troublesome handoff to Michael Ovitz from former CEO Michael Eisner in the mid-90s) – NYTimes and WSJ
The Treasury Department acted yesterday to further restrict the ability of tax inversions by US companies, taking particular aim at “serial inverters.” The new rules also target earnings stripping—the tactic of an “American subsidiary borrowing from the parent company and using the interest payments on the loans to offset earnings—a cost that is not reflected on financial statements but lowers the tax bill” – NYTimes and Bloomberg
The new rules, which take effect immediately, threaten to upend the recently announced Pfizer/Allergan deal – WSJ
The CFTC announced a no-joke $10 million+ whistleblower award to an anonymous tipster “who helped it bring a major enforcement action,” a massive jump for an agency that has lagged the SEC in doling out the big awards for info thus far – Law360
Streetwise suggests we take a closer look at Sweden and the effects of its central bank’s decision to “ease[] money in pursuit of its inflation target amid an economic and housing boom.” The Riksbankers could provide helpful insight “for the world’s dovish central bankers of just how far they can push their desperate efforts to stoke inflation before creating dangerous bubbles” – WSJ
ValueAct, which we just discussed here last week for its influential but largely under-the-radar role at Valeant, has found itself on the wrong end of a $19 million antitrust suit filed yesterday by the Department of Justice for its alleged role in the November 2014 merger of energy giants Baker Hughes and Halliburton—a suit that could help define the disclosure requirements and bounds of activist investors – NYTimes and WSJ
The Panama Papers, by the way, much to the chagrin of a host of world leaders and celebrities and others in the “global elite”, aren’t going away any time soon – WSJ
Pimco’s graciously provided us with details of Big Billy Gross’s “middle of the night” resignation – WSJ and Bloomberg and Law360
Big day in roundball yesterday. NCAA tournament something or other. But more important, the baseball season got rolling in earnest. And John Oliver helped us ring in another year of Yankee-hating in style. Emphasis on style – Last Week Tonight