With Twitter’s May 25 annual meeting rapidly approaching, it’s probably too late for this year if Musk is aiming to push for drastic changes. But the size of his stake means he can still wield enormous sway, if he so chooses.
Shareholders who intend to remain “passive”, those who don’t seek to influence or change control of a company, file a shorter form with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, called a 13G. Those seeking for board seats file a longer and more in-depth form, a 13D, within 10 days of buying their stake. The rule applies to anyone acquiring 5% or more of a public company’s stock.
Musk announced his 9.2% stake by filing the 13G. But the billionaire, 50, isn’t exactly one to stay passive. The chief executive officer of Tesla Inc. and SpaceX has called out Twitter for “failing to adhere to free speech principles” and the need to root out cryptocurrency scams that are prolific on the social media platform, which was co-founded by his friend Jack Dorsey. Musk is also among Twitter’s most watched users, with more than 80 million followers.
A 13D requires more disclosure, shareholders have to say what their plans are, and how they’re financing the purchase of the stock.
