NEW YORK: Monster Worldwide, Broadcom and three other companies Monday disclosed inquiries into whether they had improperly dated stock options, bringing the number of companies involved in the investigations to more than 40.

Equinix, Cyberonics and Applied Micro Circuits also announced inquiries.

Also Monday, Comverse Technology, the world's largest maker of voice- mail software, delayed filing its first- quarter earnings and annual report because of "an ongoing review" by a special committee of the board related to the grants, the company said.

Companies in at least four countries have disclosed U.S. government or internal inquiries into options grants. The investigators are looking at whether grants were illegally backdated or manipulated to coincide with low stock prices, which would have made the options more valuable to the executives who received them. Fifteen people have resigned or been fired, and more than 60 lawsuits are pending at more than 20 companies.

Monster, operator of the Monster.com job-listing service, said a committee of independent directors was looking into its stock-options grant methods, according to a statement Monday.

The company, which is based in New York, said that it hired outside legal counsel to assist in the inquiry.

In 2006, Monster used a so-called restricted-stock unit program instead of stock options as incentives for senior management, the company said.

Broadcom, a maker of computer chips for cable set-top boxes, drew an informal investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into its options, the company said. The company, which is based in Irvine, California, also said that shareholders sued late last month, charging improper options grants.

Cyberonics, a maker of medical devices that is based in Houston, said in a regulatory filing Monday that the SEC informed the company June 9 that it was scrutinizing Cyberonics' options awards.

Equinix, which provides data centers for Internet companies, said Monday that the SEC had started an informal inquiry into its stock option grants. The company, which is based in Foster City, California, also announced that its audit committee would conduct an internal review.

Applied Micro, a maker of chips for networking equipment, said that the SEC had started an investigation. The company, based in San Diego, also said that it would delay filing its annual report while its audit committee carried out a review of its stock-options.


NEW YORK: Monster Worldwide, Broadcom and three other companies Monday disclosed inquiries into whether they had improperly dated stock options, bringing the number of companies involved in the investigations to more than 40.

Equinix, Cyberonics and Applied Micro Circuits also announced inquiries.

Also Monday, Comverse Technology, the world's largest maker of voice- mail software, delayed filing its first- quarter earnings and annual report because of "an ongoing review" by a special committee of the board related to the grants, the company said.

Companies in at least four countries have disclosed U.S. government or internal inquiries into options grants. The investigators are looking at whether grants were illegally backdated or manipulated to coincide with low stock prices, which would have made the options more valuable to the executives who received them. Fifteen people have resigned or been fired, and more than 60 lawsuits are pending at more than 20 companies.

Monster, operator of the Monster.com job-listing service, said a committee of independent directors was looking into its stock-options grant methods, according to a statement Monday.

The company, which is based in New York, said that it hired outside legal counsel to assist in the inquiry.

In 2006, Monster used a so-called restricted-stock unit program instead of stock options as incentives for senior management, the company said.

Broadcom, a maker of computer chips for cable set-top boxes, drew an informal investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into its options, the company said. The company, which is based in Irvine, California, also said that shareholders sued late last month, charging improper options grants.

Cyberonics, a maker of medical devices that is based in Houston, said in a regulatory filing Monday that the SEC informed the company June 9 that it was scrutinizing Cyberonics' options awards.

Equinix, which provides data centers for Internet companies, said Monday that the SEC had started an informal inquiry into its stock option grants. The company, which is based in Foster City, California, also announced that its audit committee would conduct an internal review.

Applied Micro, a maker of chips for networking equipment, said that the SEC had started an investigation. The company, based in San Diego, also said that it would delay filing its annual report while its audit committee carried out a review of its stock-options.


NEW YORK: Monster Worldwide, Broadcom and three other companies Monday disclosed inquiries into whether they had improperly dated stock options, bringing the number of companies involved in the investigations to more than 40.

Equinix, Cyberonics and Applied Micro Circuits also announced inquiries.

Also Monday, Comverse Technology, the world's largest maker of voice- mail software, delayed filing its first- quarter earnings and annual report because of "an ongoing review" by a special committee of the board related to the grants, the company said.

Companies in at least four countries have disclosed U.S. government or internal inquiries into options grants. The investigators are looking at whether grants were illegally backdated or manipulated to coincide with low stock prices, which would have made the options more valuable to the executives who received them. Fifteen people have resigned or been fired, and more than 60 lawsuits are pending at more than 20 companies.

Monster, operator of the Monster.com job-listing service, said a committee of independent directors was looking into its stock-options grant methods, according to a statement Monday.

The company, which is based in New York, said that it hired outside legal counsel to assist in the inquiry.

In 2006, Monster used a so-called restricted-stock unit program instead of stock options as incentives for senior management, the company said.

Broadcom, a maker of computer chips for cable set-top boxes, drew an informal investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into its options, the company said. The company, which is based in Irvine, California, also said that shareholders sued late last month, charging improper options grants.

Cyberonics, a maker of medical devices that is based in Houston, said in a regulatory filing Monday that the SEC informed the company June 9 that it was scrutinizing Cyberonics' options awards.

Equinix, which provides data centers for Internet companies, said Monday that the SEC had started an informal inquiry into its stock option grants. The company, which is based in Foster City, California, also announced that its audit committee would conduct an internal review.

Applied Micro, a maker of chips for networking equipment, said that the SEC had started an investigation. The company, based in San Diego, also said that it would delay filing its annual report while its audit committee carried out a review of its stock-options.


NEW YORK: Monster Worldwide, Broadcom and three other companies Monday disclosed inquiries into whether they had improperly dated stock options, bringing the number of companies involved in the investigations to more than 40.

Equinix, Cyberonics and Applied Micro Circuits also announced inquiries.

Also Monday, Comverse Technology, the world's largest maker of voice- mail software, delayed filing its first- quarter earnings and annual report because of "an ongoing review" by a special committee of the board related to the grants, the company said.

Companies in at least four countries have disclosed U.S. government or internal inquiries into options grants. The investigators are looking at whether grants were illegally backdated or manipulated to coincide with low stock prices, which would have made the options more valuable to the executives who received them. Fifteen people have resigned or been fired, and more than 60 lawsuits are pending at more than 20 companies.

Monster, operator of the Monster.com job-listing service, said a committee of independent directors was looking into its stock-options grant methods, according to a statement Monday.

The company, which is based in New York, said that it hired outside legal counsel to assist in the inquiry.

In 2006, Monster used a so-called restricted-stock unit program instead of stock options as incentives for senior management, the company said.

Broadcom, a maker of computer chips for cable set-top boxes, drew an informal investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into its options, the company said. The company, which is based in Irvine, California, also said that shareholders sued late last month, charging improper options grants.

Cyberonics, a maker of medical devices that is based in Houston, said in a regulatory filing Monday that the SEC informed the company June 9 that it was scrutinizing Cyberonics' options awards.

Equinix, which provides data centers for Internet companies, said Monday that the SEC had started an informal inquiry into its stock option grants. The company, which is based in Foster City, California, also announced that its audit committee would conduct an internal review.

Applied Micro, a maker of chips for networking equipment, said that the SEC had started an investigation. The company, based in San Diego, also said that it would delay filing its annual report while its audit committee carried out a review of its stock-options.
Job interview