Yahoo! Inc.; Rule 14a-8 no-action letter - SEC

[Pages:22]DIVISION OF

CORPORATION FINANCE

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549-4561

April 3, 2012

Martin P. Dunn O'Melveny & Myers LLP mdunn@

Re: Yahoo! Inc. Incoming letter dated February 10,2012

Dear Mr. Dunn:

This is in response to your letter dated February 10, 2012 concerning the shareholder proposal submitted to Yahoo! by Jing Zhao. We also have received a letter from the proponent dated March 11, 2012. Copies of all ofthe correspondence on which this response is based will be made available on our website at . For your reference, a brief discussion ofthe Division's informal procedures regarding shareholder proposals is also available at the same website address.

Sincerely,

TedYu Senior Special Counsel

Enclosure

cc: Jing Zhao zhao@h-

April 3, 2012

Response of the Office of Chief Counsel Division of Corporation Finance

Re: Yahoo! Inc. Incoming letter dated February 10,2012

The proposal directs the board to perform due diligence to minimize certain damaging results, "following the principle of providing transparent disclosure of company records regarding these matters in the Company web site, in order to provide a basis for remedying any problems that may have occurred, to assure that potential abuses not occur in the future, and to respond to shareholders' concern regarding transactions and operation involving the Yahoo! Human Rights Fund, Alibaba, and other Company assets being subjected to public scrutiny."

There appears to be some basis for your view that Yahoo! may exclude the proposal under rule 14a-8(i)(7), as relating to Yahoo!'s ordinary business operations. In this regard, we note that the proposal relates to the performance of "due diligence and disclosure" of certain alleged conduct and "potential abuses." Proposals that concern a company's legal compliance program are generally excludable under rule 14a-8(i)(7). Accordingly, we will not recommend enforcement action to the Commission if Yahoo! omits the proposal from its proxy materials in reliance on rule 14a-8(i)(7). In reaching this position, we have not found it necessary to address the alternative basis for omission upon which Yahoo! relies.

Sincerely,

Brandon Hill Attorney-Adviser

DIVISION OF CORPORATION FINANCE INFORMAL PROCEDURES REGARDING SHAREHOLDER PRQPOSALS

The Division of Corporation Finance believes that its responsibility witll respect to matters arising under Rule 14a-8 [17 CFR240.14a-8], as with other matters under the proxy rules, is to aid those who must comply with the rule by offering informal advice and suggestions and to determine, initially, whether or not it may be appropriate in a particular matter to. recommend enforcement action to the Commission. In connection with a shareholder proposal under Rule 14a-8, the Division's staff considers the information furnished to it by the Company in support of its intention to exclude the proposals from the Company's proxy materials, a ................
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