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Greenmail: meaning, definitions and examples

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greenmail

 

[ หˆษกriหnหŒmeษชl ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

business tactic

Greenmail is a financial maneuver involving the purchase of a large number of shares in a company, usually with the intent of pressuring the company or its management. The shareholder may threaten to acquire a controlling interest in the company unless they're bought out at a premium price. This tactic is often seen as a form of blackmail in the financial world, where the 'green' refers to money. It's considered an unethical practice and can lead to legal ramifications.

Synonyms

acquisition pressure, blackmail, extortion

Examples of usage

  • The CEO was concerned about the potential for greenmail from investors.
  • Some companies have implemented policies to deter greenmail attempts.
  • He made a fortune through greenmail in the 1980s.
  • Investors accused the firm of resorting to greenmail to resolve disputes.

Translations

Translations of the word "greenmail" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น extorsรฃo de aรงรตes

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคนเคฐเฅ€ เคฎเฅ‡เคฒ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Greenmail

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ greenmail

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะณั€ะธะฝะผะตะนะป

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ greenmail

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใ‚ฐใƒชใƒผใƒณใƒกใƒผใƒซ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท greenmail

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ greenmail

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท greenmail

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ๊ทธ๋ฆฐ๋ฉ”์ผ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุฌุฑูŠู†ู…ูŠู„

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ greenmail

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ greenmail

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ็ปฟ้‚ฎไปถ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ greenmail

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ greenmail

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะณั€ะธะฝะผะตะนะป

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ’แƒ แƒ˜แƒœแƒ›แƒ”แƒ˜แƒš

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ greenmail

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ greenmail

Etymology

The term 'greenmail' is a portmanteau of the words 'green' and 'blackmail,' first coined in the financial jargon of the 1980s during a time when hostile takeovers and corporate raiding became common in the United States. In this context, 'green' refers to money, highlighting the financial aspect of the tactic. The practice often involved large investors holding significant shares of a company and demanding a buyout at a premium from the management to avoid potential takeover threats. As public sentiment turned against such aggressive financial tactics, the term came to be associated with unethical behaviors, leading to the current understanding of greenmail as a practice fraught with moral and sometimes legal complications.