What Investors Really Need to Know About Shareholder Activism

Corporate attorney Derek Bork at Thompson Hine recently released a gem of an article on shareholder activism. The article is a fascinating insight into one of the most intriguing aspects of investing today. Shareholder activism is not only the Carl Icahn type procedure you see today. Buffett in his early days was a huge activist in many of the investments he made for the Buffett Partnerships.

Most importantly, Mr. Bork's article is a refreshing illustration that successful activism is not only an arena for the large institutional investor or hedge fund, but for the smaller investor as well. With having a clear strategy and plan in mind, activism can clearly back fire, costing investors valuable time and money. Small or big, anyone interested in activism would be well advised to consider the blue print laid out by Mr. Bork.

"One of the biggest mistakes that some activist investors make is engaging in activist tactics without a clear strategy. It is easy to see the tactics that other activists use in the marketplace, but it is not always clear on the surface why they are using them. The tactics that an investor should use may vary widely from one situation to another, depending on the circumstances of the company, its legal defenses, the size of the investor’s position, the make-up of the shareholder base and other factors."

Read the article here.