Longtime Avon Products Inc. Chief Executive Andrea Jung is fast losing her luster as a string of gaffes raises questions about her management skills.
长期担任化妆品公司雅芳(Avon Products Inc.)首席执行长的钟彬娴(Andrea Jung)头上的光环迅速消退，该公司的一系列问题令人质疑她的管理能力。
The latest bad news arrived Thursday, when Avon said it faces a pair of Securities and Exchange Commission inquiries. The cosmetics company also tossed out its sales targets, saying they are unreachable.
周四传来了最新坏消息：雅芳说自己面临美国证券交易委员会(Securities and Exchange Commission，简称：SEC)的两项调查。此外，雅芳还放弃了自己的销售目标，说这些目标无法实现。
Investors and analysts said those developments were perhaps less troubling than their impression that Avon has a pattern of operational missteps.
投资者和分析人士说，上述情况的糟糕程度可能不及另一件事，即他们感觉雅芳很容易在经营上犯错。
'Investors are getting to the end of their patience,' said Greg Heilman, senior vice president and portfolio manager at Ave Maria Catholic Values Fund, which reduced its Avon holdings several years ago but recently bought some of it back in hopes the company might recover potentially under new management, long term.
圣母玛利亚天主教价值基金(Ave Maria Catholic Values Fund)高级副总裁兼投资组合经理海尔曼(Greg Heilman)说，投资者快没耐心了。该基金几年前减持了雅芳股票，但前不久又买进了部分股票，寄希望于该公司从长远看或许会在新管理层的领导下复苏。
'The burden falls on the shoulders of Andrea, and she hasn't shown much,' he said. 'She's just not getting the job done.'
海尔曼说，重担落在了钟彬娴的肩上，而她的表现不尽如人意，她没有做好自己份内的事情。
The complaints led to an unusually combative earningsconference call Thursday and have drawn the attention of Avon's board, which expects to discuss the latest setbacks and the SEC probes on a previously scheduled teleconference next week, one person familiar with the board said. They 'are going to be on top of this,' the person said. 'The execution challenges have to be handled better.''
这些怨言不仅导致雅芳周四的财报电话会议气氛异常剑拔弩张，也引起了雅芳董事会的关注。一位了解董事会情况的人士说，预计董事会将在已经安排好的下周电话会议上讨论公司最近遇到的挫折和SEC的调查。这名知情人士说，他们要彻底了解这些情况，执行方面的问题必须得到更好的处理。
Ms. Jung declined to comment, but acknowledged the frustration on Thursday's conference call. 'Look, the buck stops with me,' she said, adding that she was at the top of the list of those disappointed.
钟彬娴拒绝置评，但承认周四的电话会议令人沮丧。她说，这是我的责任，还说自己是所有人中最失望的一个。
Analysts didn't hold back on the call. 'It strikes me that you guys are so totally screwed up in so many ways, the change has to be radical,' said Citigroup analyst Wendy Nicholson.
分析师在雅芳周四的电话会议上毫不客气。花旗银行(Citigroup)分析师尼克尔森(Wendy Nicholson)说，我没想到你们在这么多方面都搞得一团糟，必须要作出根本性的改变。
Stifel, Nicolaus analyst Mark Astrachan questioned why investors should 'believe management and board have any control over the business at this point.' Another hinted that the company needed to hire a chief operating officer 'to help manage all the complexity.'
美国投资公司Stifel Nicolaus的分析师阿斯拉特罕(Mark Astrachan)质疑说，到这个时候投资者凭什么还要相信雅芳管理层和董事会有能力掌控公司。另一个人暗示，雅芳应聘请一位首席运营长来帮助解决这一团乱麻的局面。
Avon says it employs two vice presidents to head operations in developed and developing markets
雅芳说，聘请了两位副总裁负责公司在发达和发展中市场的运营。
Amid the heat, Ms. Jung said Avon is working to fix the problems and craft a new long-term plan by the first quarter. She'll get some help Nov. 28, when new Chief Financial Officer Kimberly Ross arrives from Royal Ahold NV. But analysts were skeptical Ms. Ross would arrive in time to have much input on the new plan.
处于压力之下的钟彬娴说，雅芳正在努力解决问题，争取在明年第一季度之前制定出新的长期计划。她将在11月28日获得一些帮助，届时来自荷兰食品零售商Royal Ahold NV的罗斯(Kimberly Ross)将出任雅芳新首席财务长。但分析人士怀疑罗斯能否赶得及为新计划提出多少意见。
Directors continue to support Ms. Jung, said the person familiar with the board. The board last met earlier in October, before directors were aware of the new regulatory issues.
上述了解雅芳董事会情况的人士说，董事们继续支持钟彬娴。上次召开董事会议是在10月初，当时董事们尚未获悉监管方面的新问题。
Avon shares plunged 18% on Thursday, closing at $18.81 on the New York Stock Exchange
京公网安备 11011202003401号
