Aurelian Stockholder Revolt Demonstrates the Power of Web 2.0 for Investors Edit

For years, Aurelian Resources Inc. was the darling of retail investors.  But recently some of those investors have mobilized online against the company’s proposed $1.2-billion merger with Kinross Gold Corp., an effort that shows how the Internet has brought retail investors together and given them common cause as shareholders.

To date, the Web 2.0 Aurelian Resources shareholder revolt against a “friendly” takeover bid by Kinross Gold has generated more than 580,000 page views over the past 30 days on the company’s HUB on AGORACOM.

Shareholders have used the HUB to amalgamate, discuss and execute a strategy to vote down the bid, including submitting thousands of e-mail messages, telephone calls and letters to management, directors, media, analysts, bloggers, securities regulators and even other potential suitors.

The campaign has been a massive success and perhaps the best example of Web 2.0 Canadian shareholder activism with coverage from the likes of The Financial Post, Calgary Herald and Montreal Gazette.

As further evidence this revolt is far beyond a mere fringe group of investors, a YouTube video has been viewed over 1300 times. Add that to the 580,000 + page views on the Aurelian HUB over the past 30 days, plus the attention it received on Yahoo Buzz yesterday and you have a serious group of motivated investors.