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View Full Version : ROFL! Morgan Stanley & Citigroup’s Smith Barney to Pay $3 Billion in Rentention Bonus



HOLLYWOOD
02-20-2009, 04:21 PM
Are we a land of Moron's? Do you think the American Sheeple are going to but the BAILOUT for BONUSES on a newly formed entity BS? I warned many there would be loopholes and trixters

Morgan Stanley to Offer Brokers $3 Billion Retention as LOANS over 9 years. Geez, another way around the government welfare and Uncle Sugars Bailouts riles/restrictions. unbelieveable :rolleyes:

Here we go...

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ac6yFnRPTi_I&refer=home (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ac6yFnRPTi_I&refer=home)

Morgan Stanley to Offer Brokers $3 Billion Retention (Update1)

Feb. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Morgan Stanley’s joint-venture brokerage with Citigroup Inc. will pay brokers as much as $3 billion to ensure they stay after the new entity is formed, a person familiar with the matter said.

Top producers may be eligible for 105 percent of their annual production, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the plan isn’t public. Brokers must stay at the firm for nine years to fully benefit from the plan, the person said.

Morgan Stanley is paying the bonuses to limit departures of brokers who might be poached by other firms such as UBS AG and Credit Suisse Group AG. Banks that have received U.S. government funds have come under criticism for offering bonuses. Citigroup and Morgan Stanley received a combined $62 billion in funding from the government.

Earlier today, Wells Fargo & Co. said it won’t pay retention bonuses to Wachovia Corp.’s retail brokers because the banking industry and its clients are “suffering.” The San Francisco-based Wells Fargo acquired the bank in December.

Morgan Stanley and Citigroup’s Smith Barney unit agreed to form the joint venture last month, creating the biggest retail brokerage with more than 20,000 brokers and $1.7 trillion in assets. Morgan Stanley will control the venture with a 51 percent stake.

Morgan Stanley spokesman Jim Wiggins confirmed that the bonus plan had been made. He declined to comment on specifics, including money.

6,500 Eligible

About 6,500 of the 20,000 brokers will be eligible for the retention package, the person said. The first payment will be made in January 2010 with second in 2012. Brokers need to have been at one of the firms since the end of 2006 to be eligible for the plan. No bonuses will be given to senior executives, branch managers and support staff.

The joint venture will pay Morgan Stanley and Smith Barney brokers who produce at least $1.75 million in revenue in 2008 as much as 105 percent of that amount, including 75 percent in the first payment and a guaranteed 30 percent later. Brokers who make between $1 million to $1.74 million are entitled to 75 percent plus an additional 25 percent if they meet certain growth targets over three years.

Morgan Stanley will pay Citigroup $2.7 billion for control of the new company. It has an option to increase its stake after three years and to take full control after five years.

To contact the reporter on this story: Joshua Fineman in New York at jfineman@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: February 20, 2009 17:57 EST

surf
02-20-2009, 06:23 PM
i know that i'm being a bit oxymoronic when i say that, yes, it is reprehensible that any gov't should put a "cap" on executive pay and bonuses - i also don't believe these (executive) people are not easy to replace.

that said, when i managed a portfolio, i would often follow a broker when he switched firms. it was a fairly common occurence back-in-the-day, but because of a trust and friendship and understanding of how i managed a portfolio that i had built with certain individuals "on the other side of the desk," i'd shift my company's business from one brokerage to the other if the broker was good. i quit doing business w/Bear and began w/Lehman; i quit doing business w/ABN and moved to FTN; i ceased working with Merrill and began w/Morgan Stanley; i quit doing business w/Goldman - but that's just because they were Goldman.... i even ceased doing business w/Garvin Guybutler and began doing business w/a tiny shop because one of my friends moved there.

it happens quite a bit, and one of the reasons a firm hires another firm's broker is because of the business book he/she may bring along.

HOLLYWOOD
02-20-2009, 07:25 PM
my point on this is more... Bailout restrictions can easily be circumvented, call it rentention bonuses, longterm loans, etc... it's just shows that every rule or law the gubment comes up with, are twisted and evaded by new ideas or schemes.

I for one don't have any problem rewarding... it's just that I would never reward wall street with the masses money to bailout schemes and scams, then take that money and create even more schemes.

If government didn't steal for the people, dictate and giveaway to corporate campaign donating Wall st... I wouldn't care.

It's just the $200 Million in campaign contribution creates the puppets in Washington.

I love free enterprise and markets... as long as they don;t violate anti-trust