Peabody reviews

The industry is going through some brutal years and navigating this period is tough. Peabody is one to watch, as coal forms an essential role in the U.S. and global energy mix. If any pure-play company can weather the period ahead, it will be Peabody. I only hope that the company will emerge ready to compete when the markets recover.

With the addition of new entities, including the last, large acquisition that has proved to be financially and operationally difficult, the culture of the company has become much more somber. Mounting financial losses and high leverage contribute to the declining mood. In the days of high growth, most with aspirations found the ability to move up. Who you knew mattered, but everyone had a shot. With limited opportunities to advance, who you know has become paramount, and advancement is often not clearly merit-based. Benefits, once a big plus, have become average and slip further backward every year. Large bonuses and adjustments to equity compensation to offset declining stock prices occur only at the highest levels.