Good day, would you kindly help me answer the following:

Pick one main issue that you think is important in the case. It should be an issue related to finance. Focus on your idea and think about it. Briefly describe the issue and then discuss why you think the issue is important. In addition, discuss one or more of the following "how does that issue relate to a particular "real world" issue you have enco

Stanley Black 8: Decker, Inc. On November 2, 2009, the boards of directors of The Stanley Works, Inc. and Black & Decker Corp. agreed to a merger in which The Stanley Works would combine with Black 8: Decker through an exchange of stock giving Black 5: Decker's shareholders a 21.6% premium. Stanley would pay $36 billion in its stock (valued at Stanley's prerannouncement price of $45.23/share) for all of Black 8: Decker's stock. The merger would leave Stanley shareholders with 50.5% of the stock in the combined enterprise. Black 8: Decker shareholders would receive 49.5% of the stock of the combined enterprise. John F. Lundgren, age 57, the CEO of Stanley since 2004 would become CEO of the combined company while Nolan Archibald, age 66, and CEO of Black ii: Decker since 1986 would become executive chairman of the combined company. Background The Stanley Works was a hand tool company founded in 1843 and headquartered in New Britain, Connecticut. Black 8: Decker was a power tool company established in 1910 and headquartered in Towson, Maryland. Since the companies operated in similar lines of business, they had periodically discussed a strategic combination. Merger discussions had occurred in the early 19803, the late 19808 and again in the early 1990s. These talks \"typically stalled over who would be in charge."1 The Transaction Economics Cost savings associated with the combination were a strong motivating factor in the proposed merger. The combined company was expected to save $350 million annually. The transaction was \" . expected to result in nearly 4,000 layoffs from a global workforce of 38,000."2 This level of savings would be achieved over three years at a cumulative oneetime restructuring cost of $400 million (Exhibit 1). Stanley's GAAP earnings per share (once the full savings were realized at the end of year three) were expected to reach $5.00, an increase of $1.00 per share versus the EPS projection of Stanley without the merger (Exhibit 2). The CEO and Other Officer Incentives Shareholders would not be the only winners in the transaction. As part of the merger contractohn Lundgren would receive \"a grant of restricted stock units, the aggregate value of which will equal the value, as of the completion of the merger, of an option to purchase 1.1 million shares of Stanley common stock.\"3 This would be in addition to his normal compensation contract. Nolan Archibald would receive a new threeryear contract. While his annual compensation would be reduced somewhat as shown below, he would receive a onetime grant of stock options on 1.0 million of the combined company's shares plus a special incentive payment based on the amount of annual cost savings achieved by the third anniversary following the merger. The incentive payment would be $15 million if annual savings of $225 million were achieved, $30 million if annual savings of $300 million were achieved, or a total of $45 million if the projected annual saving of $350 million or more were achieved. He also agreed to forego a $20.5 million severance payment (golden parachute) in connection with the change in control. Nolan Archibald Compensation Current Post-Merger Contract Contract $ millions Base Annual Salary $1.5 $1.5 Target Annual Bonus $1.875 + $1.053 $1.875 Maximum Annual Bonus $3750 + $1.575a Annual Equity Award $8.5 $6.65 Special OneTime Awards NA Options on 1.0 million shares NA $15.0,$45.0 for cost savin s Nineteen Black 8: Decker executives (not counting Nolan Archibald) had change of control agreements extending back to 1986 which would trigger payments if they were terminated or experienced a change in responsibilities or powers as a result of the merger. Payments which could be triggered under these agreements for severance (3 years pay), benefits (3 years) and income tax grossrups totaled $92.3 million. Payments under the B&D long term incentive plan (that would be triggered without regard to actual performance as a result of the merger) would amount to $13.2 million for these same 19 executives, and immediate vesting of all unvested restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options would add $417 million to this total. Finally, additions to the B811) supplemental executive retirement plan for the benefit of five of these senior employees would total $22.7 million.